


Marital Fluff

by Silveryfeather



Category: Animorphs - Katherine A. Applegate
Genre: Alien Biology, Blood, Canon-Typical Violence, Death, Domestic Fluff, Drama & Romance, Enemies to Lovers, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Looming War, Mystery, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Political Marriage, Romance, Sexual Tension, Species Headcanons, Terrorism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-16
Updated: 2020-02-06
Packaged: 2020-03-06 06:48:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 52,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18845821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silveryfeather/pseuds/Silveryfeather
Summary: With her marriage to the yeerk Esplin 9466 and her forced residence on the yeerk homeworld, Aldrea finds herself hating life more and more. But the revelation of a inside cover up tosses Aldrea into a war no one wanted.





	1. Prologue

<Alright Aldrea, do have a good night. Get home without incident!>   
  
The tender waved his tail at me as I exited the tent and into the stinging rain of the yeerk homeworld. My lungs stung from the sudden change in atmosphere but I could hardly care. I was so intoxicated that even my so called  _ husband  _ couldn’t bother me tonight. It was wonderful that they put a recreation center outside of the emissary. I visit here at least twice a week if I can.    
  
I nodded my stalks to a warrior as I continued at a steady trot towards my own solitary tent away from where the scientists and warriors currently resided. The solitary tent of a pair of ‘lovers’ that had brought our species together. My home and his home.

<I have returned.> I sighed as I slipped into the scoop, grateful for the breath of fresh air I got. My skin stung and my eyes hurt but at least my fur no longer burned off with the new shampoo I had gotten.   
  
The sound of mechanical wheels turning greeted me as my husband slowly rolled from the next room, unfolding his retractable arms. 

I looked at his form for a moment, taking in the clear glass dome that sat atop a rather standard wheeled robot unit. Within the dome was a yeerk visibly interfaced to the brain-like console within the robot itself. This console allowed him to not only see and hear but to also speak. It technically was a prototype host unit from what I’ve heard. 

“ _ You are home too late.”  _ His dry robotic voice scolded me as they came to a stop in front of me.    
  
I swayed out of the way as his cold hands reached for my cheeks. I never liked him kissing me and I really only tolerate it to keep  _ him  _ tolerable. I got nothing out of kissing him on the normal emotional level andalites feel.    
  
But today I was intoxicated and I didn’t care what he said today.    
  
<Why should you care? Are you not busy with your… what was it again? Outreach program?> I snapped, stepping past him but one of his hands grabbed my arm then held on. I twitched my tail almost tempted sever that hand from the robot. But that would be a crime wouldn’t it?   
  
“ _ I care about you Aldrea.”  _ I could not tell if he was irritated or not but considering he was about to snap my arm, perhaps he was.  _ “As my wife, I care whether or not you are well… Are you intoxicated again?” _ __  
__  
I ignored him as I yanked my arm away from his, stumbling a bit as I do. I start walking away but he grabbed onto the end of my tail, just before the blade. I knew that if I yank  _ that  _ away I would tip him over and that would be quite the mess.    
  
“ __ Aldrea, answer me. ”

<Yes I am.> I replied stiffly, turning a stalk towards him.    
  
“ _ Stupid fool.”  _ I could now tell that he was ticked. Good.    
  
<Now may I return to my room to rest?> I was starting to lightly tug my tail away but yet he persisted and held onto it. I flicked my ears back hating the fact that my ‘husband’ had such a weak natural form. How could I fight him if he’s so… weak? One flick of my tail and he’ll be gone. Just like that.    
  
“ _ No, you’ll be spending time with  _ **_me_ ** _ tonight.”  _ He snapped, letting go of my tail. “ _ Now come to the recreation room and let us begin.” _

His wheels whirred as he turned away and rolled off towards where we kept all of the computers. I felt even more irritation at the fact that he simply wouldn’t allow me to sleep. I just wanted to be left alone after our week long honeymoon on the surface of their third moon. Hasn’t he had enough of me at this point? To me it seemed he’s the only one enjoying this abomination of a marriage.    
  
A marriage that ended a war that was still in it’s infancy. It was a miracle that this even worked in the first place.

I entered the computer room just in time to see Esplin slipping from the machine and into the pool that allowed us to connect for a little while. You see the idea of us bonding wasn’t like your normal pairing of andalites, no the only way we physically got to touch each other was by allowing me to hold him for ten to fifteen minutes. He  _ loved  _ being held by me if his constant squeaking was enough to tell me.    
  
I laid down beside the pool and curled my tail over my back legs while I reached into the lead colored water. There was a moment of silence before I could hear him squeaking, telling me to lift up. So as gently as possible I pulled him out of the pool before pressing him against my chest fur.    
  
He wiggled against me for a moment, making me shiver in slight disgust. His body wasn’t slimy but it certainly was wet and rubbery, almost like a soaked band of rubber. I could only tolerate this for moments at a time really.

<Will you stop struggling? It is rather hard to hold onto you.> I snapped at him, irritated. That was more than enough to get him to stop moving, allowing me to move him up to my face. I noticed that he was wearing his new collar today so that mean he could probably interface with my brain outside of my body. Another wonderful invention made by andalites for the yeerks as a present. It’s supposed to allow them to communicate in their natural forms through telepathic means just like us. So far it only works by touching cheek to cheek.    
  
Shivering for a moment longer, I knew I had to do exactly that.    
  
As soon as I pressed his body up against my cheek, I felt a flash of bright energy in my mind before it faded into a still whiteness… This was him opening up to me. Strangely enough, it was very similar to how a bonded pair would open up to one another. 

It disgusted me. 

< _ I disgust you still?> _ I could hear the displeasure in his voice.    
  
<Of course you do.> I replied back coldly.    
  
< _ Even after all of the presents I had bought you…> _

<Presents…?>   
  
I turned a stalk around just in time to see the many boxes of obviously andalian imported things. A few caught my eyes. 

A training hover-ball for tail fighting practice, a blade sharpener, and a whole set of training holos for military use. I had to at least give him credit for knowing what my interests were. He was the only one so far to encourage me to train my body to become warrior-like. 

<You are quite delightful.> I chuckled, a little bit pleased by his gifts. 

< _ Ah, acting sweet now that you have new play things.> _ His voice was teasing now. < _ But that isn’t the only things I got you, there is something behind those.> _

I turned a stalk on him before getting to my hooves, holding him against my cheek as I walked to his pile of gifts. I scoot a few back just to see what he was talking about. It was an unmarked box of something I could not quite tell. 

I flipped off the top to reveal a standard issued yeerk dracon beam that seemed to be fitted with quite a few andalite parts. I carefully removed the weapon from the box as I rested Esplin against my chest, surprised. Why would he get me such a thing? I could easily use it to turn on him of course… so why?   
  
I brought him to my cheek again.    
  
<It is a rather dangerous weapon.> I observed.    
  
< _ I know, but I wish to make it known I trust you enough not to turn it on me. _ > Esplin replied quietly as his head bumps my cheek before rubbing against it. A shiver of disgust sent tingles down my spine while I flicked my ears back.    
  
<I think I will practice with it tomorrow then… thank you.> I politely placed the weapon back into it’s sturdy casing before covering it up again. I could feel the delight in his mine at the acceptance of my gift.    
  
I pulled him away from my cheek finally and rested him against my chest. Silently I moved back to his pool before laying down beside it, still holding my husband against my chest. There was an odd chirping sound coming from Esplin but I did not pay any attention until he bumped his head against my chest. I sighed heavily at him before bringing him to my cheek once more.    
  
< _ I also have another surprise for you tomorrow. _ > He excitedly told me, squirming uncomfortably against my cheek.    
  
<Oh, well I can’t wait.> I stiffly replied, looking to the door now.    
  
< _ You wish to go to bed already?> _ He sounded upset. 

If there was one thing Esplin hated was me going to sleep. He couldn’t sleep with me and yeerks do not sleep anyway. At least not from what the scientists have observed of the yeerks. They seemed to get all of their rest by laying on the bottom of the pool. So that left Esplin to himself for the whole night until I woke up.

It was the only time I got time to myself.

< _ Please stay up longer, just for tonight.> _ Esplin begged softly as his body squirmed once again.    
  
<I need to rest, we both know this Esplin.> I snapped back, pulling him away from my cheek. He begins squirming violently, letting out alarming squeaks. He almost looked like a child throwing a fit. <Stop that!>   
  
I brought him to my cheek, wondering what was his problem.    
  
< _ Stay please! Watch a movie with me or read a story with me. Aldrea please!> _ __  
__  
He was begging so much now which only served to irritate me even further. I was now tempted to throw him into the pool and leave him to his childish fit. But I knew that if I did I would be hearing it in the morning yet again. I didn’t need that.   
  
I relented with a sigh.    
  
< _ Thank you my dearest wife.> _ He purred, nuzzling against my cheek.    
  
<Just do not push it.> I grumbled, slipping him back into his robot as I do. I knew if we were about to do anything requiring eyes he needed to be in there.    
  
We settled upon a holo about the fifteenth century of andalian history. The part of history fraught with war, bloodshed, and hatred. The part of history that teachers in school hammered into your brain, making sure you knew what we shouldn’t be doing. This part of history that Esplin seemed oddly drawn to, which was why he was so quiet.    
  
<Esplin?> I leaned my upper body over his robotic body, looking down at him with my stalk eyes.    
  
“ __ Yes?”  He replied dryly.    
  
<Interesting enough for you?> I teased lightly. 

“ _ Yes, considering how much of a peace mongering species you are. They even married one of their own off to their own enemy just to stop us from taking more bodies! It is rather adorable! It is almost fascinating how your species works when it comes to war and politics. I could imagine that being a species of carefree prey animals may help that.”  _

I pinned my ears back at that and then pulled myself away, disgusted by his comment. But just as I start getting up, he grabbed my face before pulling it close to his dome. I found myself staring at the yeerk directly, which made me flinch slightly.

“ _ I am glad I have married you though Aldrea. You are quite the strong and beautiful andalite if I must say. It is too bad you probably do not think of me as fondly as I… but at least I have the confidence to say that I studied your kind so I will attempt to make you feel comfortable with your surprise tomorrow.” _ __  
__  
With that, he lets me go and backs away. He gently brushed his cold, robotic hand against my side before whirring away into another room, leaving me shocked at his quick exit. What was that anyway? What was he planning?

I angled my ears back with a small frown then turned my attention towards the screen where a group of males were standing frozen with primitive weapons in hand. One of them seemed to stare directly at me but I knew better than to actually think that. But I had to admit that I was being drawn to their gaze, making me wonder for a moment what they were like while still alive. Probably better than my current husband.

I let out a small snort of amusement as I get to my hooves, turning off the hologram. I then stretched each leg before slowly sauntering off to bed.  
  



	2. Chapter 2

I was greeted the next morning by thunder and rain. I slowly rose from my bed, stiff legged before stretching my front legs out and then rolling back to my hind legs. I stretched my tail then flicked it through the air a few times, trying to test the muscles. I was glad to see that I hadn’t numbed it again like last time.

It took me a moment to realize that Esplin was nowhere within sight and at his normal place waiting for me to get up by this time. Not that I was expecting or even hoping he would be there, I was just curious as to why he decided to skip his normal morning routine.   
  
I slipped out of my corner of the scoop and looked around, ears pricked for the sound of his wheels or the splash of him in his pool. Nothing but sweet silence. He must already be out.

<A good morning indeed.> I chuckled to myself as I walked to the patch of grass I normally ate at and buried my hoof into it, picking out grasses. Once I had finished feeding, I decided to bathe before I go out and-

No wait why was it still raining? Was it one of those days again?

I flicked my ears back, annoyed that I would not be taking my morning walk. Not that it will be too bad, I will figure out a way to bide my time long enough to go back to sleep. So I slip back into the recreation room to gather up some of the items Esplin had gotten me yesterday. I take a moment to examine the ball, realizing this was a military issued training ball. Where did he get this?  
  
Perhaps I should just ask later when he comes here. But for now I just cleared out a space in the middle of the room just large enough for me to hop around and attack the ball without actually destroying things.Once that was finished, I turned on the ball before throwing it lightly up into the air. The ball whirred for a moment then flashed pink a few times, signaling that it was ready for a command.   
  
<Warm-up simulation please.> I told the ball as I moved back, swishing my tail a bit in excitement. It had been quite awhile since I had used my blade on anything but broken trees and crumbling rocks.

The ball suddenly darts from left to right and I smiled, glad that it was working. So I kept both of my stalks on the ball, using them to track it’s quick movement allowing me to assess it’s moving. A horizontal slash with my tail worked well to stop it in it’s path. The ball darted under my tail before whirling around to my other side. I was rather quick to deflect it before it managed to touch my side.

There was another beep as it was knocked away then it flew up high above my head. I barely reached it with my tail, stretching it to it’s limits. This must be set for larger males which was interesting but it was a good stretch. I could always use some good stretches anyway. The ball then darted down low to the ground and I had to stretch my tail beside my legs to smack it again away.

I took a moment to appreciate that it was showing my the different routes an enemy andalite could take to either disabling my legs or my stalks in battle. There was also a chance of side attacks and attacks directly on my tail. I certainly could enjoy this.

The ball darted this way and that, trying to strike me in places I normally wouldn’t be watching. It was speeding up with each block, forcing me to move just as quick as it was. I knew one miss and I would be left with a nasty bruise on some part of my body.

I barely was even focusing on my surroundings at this point. A terrible mistake for a warrior to make when on the battlefield. But I wasn’t quite a warrior and I certainly wasn’t on the battlefield. At least I should’ve heard my husband coming in while I was trying to track the training ball’s quickened movements.

“ _Ah, awake already my wife?”_

I jumped slightly as I heard his voice, the ball smacking me in the back as my attention was torn away from it. I lowered my back slightly at the pain and screwed my eyes shut as I lashed my tail a few times. I was quick to tell the ball to stop the training module while I stumbled back onto all four hooves, trying not scream at the burning pain in my back.   
  
“ _Ah… you were....”_ He was hesitating as he spoke. “ _Are you alright?”_   
  
<Does it look like I’m alright?!> I snapped back at him, my tail trembling slightly in pain. I had my main eyes focused on his dome, eyes narrowed into a glare.   
  
“ _Do forgive me then… I just got back from the embassy.”_ He rolled over to his pool, placing both hands on it before lowering his head towards the murky grey water.   
  
<Why were you there?> I asked, snatching the ball out of the air.   
  
“They were giving me something to help with our marriage. They noticed that you seem to drink yourself into a stupor every few days or so and considered that unfitting behavior for a female.” He replied, tapping his fingers on the side of the bowl.

<Oh… and what did they give you?> I settled down onto my belly, back fur raising slightly. A shock collar with my luck.

“ _I shall show you.”_ He replied, almost smugly if I wasn’t mistaken.

The dome opened and alarmingly enough, he dropped onto the ground instead of the pool. I was quick to get to my hooves, worried about what he might be doing. Why didn’t he just drop into the bowl if he was going to show me something?! Or did he just miss?  
  
But just as I reached him, he was squirming away from the bowl and towards the middle of the floor. I took a few steps back once I noticed something rippling across his skin. At first it looked like he had gotten some of my fur stuck on him as he crossed the floor but then it began to thicken. A brilliant steel blue color started to overtake the clear fur.

<Esplin…?> I nervously started taking steps back as he grew to nearly twice his size. It wasn’t a slow process either, it was fast. One second he was yeerk size the next he was nearly my size.

The antenna on his head stretched and began to open at the tips. At first there was emptiness within the open sockets but then, almost like rolling a ball into existence, a pair of eyes start to appear. My stomachs rolled as the area around his face started to thin then stretch out into a neck while his body started to split into a centauric form.

I knew what was going on but I didn’t realize they would give him _that_. Especially just for our marriage of all things! Why would they give him the new morphing technology just to help out with romance. No he must’ve gotten this for another reason, a reason he hasn’t told me of just yet.

Moments passed as he became more and more andalite like.

Shhhwwoop.

A new pair of arms started forming.

Shhhlllupppp.

Four legs come springing out of his fins, quickly forming hardened hooves at the end.

Scchrack!

He suddenly had a tail.

It was a horrifying process to watch an yeerk come from an andalite. But yet I could not look away for a single moment. Morphing enraptured me just as much as battle did. But yet even watching a yeerk go to an andalite was beautiful in it’s own way. I could hardly believe it still… why would he be given such wondrous technology?

Was I jealous?

I took a step back as Esplin started standing shakily on his hooves, his body almost finished. The blade was turning from a pasty white color to a clear blue color. It was at least four times the size of my own, which was intimidating to be quite honest.

<Aldrea?> He lifted his head, opening his eyes. I was startled to find myself into a pair of silver eyes. So enrapturing!

<Y-Yes?> I stammered out as he rose to his feet. I quickly took a step back, my hearts pounding in my chest. He was nearly four feet taller than I! How was that even possible!? I had to tip my stalks back to look at his face even!

He swished his tail across the ground a few times, testing it before moving each hoof. His eyes shone with delight as he moved his stalks around to look at his surroundings. He starts taking a step forward once he was done, but his legs shook and then he stumbled forward, dark navy mane falling into his face.   
  
<Oh! Hahaha! Little bit weak…> Esplin laughed as he stood up straight again, his legs spreading out so that he may gain some balance.

He almost looked like a young andalite finding his hooves for the first time. I found my thoughts drifting towards how adorable he looked as he tried to balance on his hooves. The smile on his face the whole time… it made me sway on my hooves. It was…

I quickly shook my stalks, reminding myself that he was still a yeerk. He was just taking a different form temporarily. I guess after a few months of being stuck around older males and yeerks that I might have been starved for some sort of attention different from them. Esplin wasn’t quite what I would accept as being mate material.

<Be careful not to fall over.> I amusedly said as I watched him take a few steps forward, swaying from side to side a bit.   
  
<Don’t worry. It’ll take me a moment to get used to this. You must remember that I have only had one host before and he only had two legs.> Esplin let out a breathy snort before testing each leg, walking forward. <Quite the strong body as well. I could practically feel the power in these limbs!>   
  
I leaned back on my hindlegs, bruise forgotten on my back. I couldn’t help but watched amused as my husband started slowly waddling around the scoop, testing out his body. He would flick his tail a few times but it would seem he was cautious of using that just yet. No but he did grab at things with his deft hands and held them. But once he had his fill of exploration, he turned his eyes on me.

<Aldrea?> He said softly as he started to slowly walk towards me. 

I felt myself stiffen as I answered, <Yes?>  
  
<I want to touch you.>

He reached forward, hands and fingers stretched out wide. I felt myself freeze as I got caught up in his silvery gaze. He was really going to touch me? Why did that excite me so?

But then that’s when my reason returned to me and I ducked under his hands. He stumbled forward as he reached too far out and got caught up in my body. I let out a startled snort as he fell forward onto my body and there was a flash of white across my gaze as my head hits the floor as I fell onto my side, pinned by his massive weight. For a moment the world spun like never before then I shook my head, pain searing through my bruised back.   
  
<Oh! Oh!> Esplin’s body was tangled with mine as he tried to pull himself away, eyes wide. <Oh,  Aldrea are you alright?!>

I let out a small huff through my nose as he slipped his body away from mine. We both looked at one another for a moment. I found myself getting lost in his silver eyes again, wondering for a moment why I found them so attractive. Maybe because silver was my favorite color? Or perhaps that odd glow in them that Esplin seemed to have at the moment. Quickly realizing I had been staring for far too long, I scrambled away from him before crouching onto my stomach trembling slightly. My back hurt terribly and I was sure my sides were bruised from the fall as well. Why couldn’t I have just allowed him to touch me?! It wasn’t like I was going to be touched by his cold robotic hands!  
  
<Sorry, I just…>   
  
<Didn’t think again?> He sounded slightly upset as he ruffled the fur around his shoulders, looking away with an embarrassed snort.   
  
<No, I was expecting you to touch me with your dreadfully cold hands.> I smiled slightly, trying to pick up the situation a bit as we awkwardly looked at one another. <Those robotic hands, I do not like them.>   
  
<Ah, so that explains it.> He snorted in amusement, smiling slightly now. <I was wondering why you flinched so much when I kissed you. Well don’t worry, my hands are warm now.>   
  
For a moment I felt my hearts skip a few times as his jovial silver eyes met mine. I could tell he was trying to flirt with me now. I had to admit that this was one of the few times he had decided to flirt with me in such a way. Most of the time he just either tried to force his affections upon me or just ask in some off putting, cryptic way. It sort of made me wonder if he really did know how to flirt in the first place.   
  
I felt movement beside me and snapped out of my thoughts long enough to catch Esplin moving to my side, his gaze lit with curiosity.   
  
<Aldrea?>   
  
<Y-Yes?> I stammered out nervously as he pulled his upper body close to mine.   
  
<An andalite kiss feels different when you’re an andalite right?> He asked, almost as if he expected me to know.   
  
<Well it’s more of a telepathic connection than a physical one.> I replied, realizing that he was starting to get _too_ close now. <Why?>   
  
<I want to kiss you, you fool.> He chuckled as he reached for my face again.

It was an almost instant reaction from me as soon as his hands got meer inches from my cheeks. That little tingle before one’s hands met with your cheeks, that signal before the connection. I promptly slapped his hands away, earning a snort of surprise from him as he quickly hopped to his hooves. I climbed to my four hooves before glaring at him, my back side bristling slightly.  
  
<I do not think I am ready to kiss you.> I said quickly, realizing that his gaze was darkening into an upset look.

<You are my wife are you not?> He _sounded_ upset now.   
  
<Yes but there is a difference between robotic hands and an andalites hands.> I scuffed a foot against the ground a few times. <I do not think I am ready to feel that difference.>   
  
<Why not?!>

Oh great he was getting upset.   
  
<Because Esplin, I am not ready.>   
  
<Why?!>   
  
<Esplin, I am simply not ready. What is so hard to understand about that?!>   
  
Esplin stomped a hoof on the ground before raising his tail high. I flinched back in surprise at his threat display, raising my own smaller tail. Was he about to hit me?! Why did the thought of fighting him excite me?!   
  
We both stood there, still and silent as our tails twitched. We both were ready for any attacks the other might try but yet as the moments passed by neither of us actually made a move. In reality it was a visitor that pulled us away from our stalemate.   
  
“ _Excuse me, is Esplin 9466 here?”_ The sound of whirring wheels heading towards the recreation room made us jump apart.   
  
<Yes, Yes, is that Iniss I hear?> Esplin yanked his gaze away from me.

“ _Ah! You finally got the morphing technology! Good I thought we would never convin-”_   
  
He was cut off by Esplin more than likely. But what was he saying about convincing who? I would guess it did take some convincing to get access to the technology anyway. Not even I had access to it.

<Be silent you fool and wait a moment.> Esplin told Iniss, sounding like he was almost ticked. Not surprising coming from him.  
  
Esplin turned all of his four eyes on me as he walked to his robotic host again. <Aldrea, I will speak to you about this later. I understand you are uncertain about having me touch you now that I’m an andalite.>

That was only part of the reason but I allowed him to continue.   
  
<But please allow me to push this relationship forward beyond just scoopmates. I grow rather tired of waiting for you to come around.> Esplin’s body was already reverting back to his yeerk body as he spoke. <I do like you quite a bit and it would be a shame to be so distant from you. Please consider what I am saying. Be my wife not my enemy.>   
  
I turned my gaze away as he demorphed back into his yeerk body. Once he had finished, I noticed he was still on the ground so I stepped forward and carefully picked him up. I noticed the other yeerk standing at the door watching me. I narrowed my eyes at him before dropping my husband into his host. I then took a step back as he connected with the interface before the robot whirred to life.   
  
“ _Ready to go then Esplin? We have a lot to talk about the outreach program.”_ Iniss called to Esplin as my husband tested out his limbs.   
  
“ _Very well, then let's just get out of here and go to the public pool. We'll talk there.”_

I watched as they both left, almost too quickly for my tastes. Now what was that about and why did Esplin suddenly leave without saying good-bye? Suspicious but then again that may be my own bias coming to light again. The Electorate had told me many times to curb my biases already.

Be his wife and not his enemy eh?

I shook myself out with a small snort before flicking my ears forward. The steady rattle of acidic rain falling on our scoop was all I could hear now. But I was simply glad to be alone again for now. Maybe later I might go out and get intoxicated again but for now perhaps I should entertain myself until Esplin gets back.   


* * *

 

 

I spent my time playing battle simulation games across a network with another warrior across the camp. It was currently a 6-5 score and I had only lost four soldiers this round. I was sure I was going to win this round… at least until I heard my husband returning home. I had to tear myself away from the screen long enough to see him come wheeling into the recreation room, dripping with acidic rain.   
  
<Still raining?> I asked, returning my main eyes back to the screen.   
  
“ _How did you know?”_ He asked dryly as rolled over to his pool.

<A sufficient guess.>

Esplin went past his pool and instead stopped by my side to see what I was doing. I didn’t mind him watching much considering I was still winning my game.   
  
“ _He is not very good at this is he?”_ Esplin asked, sounding like he was smirking.

<Not so much. I am surprised he is in the top fifteen.> I snickered.

” _You are quite the brilliant strategist Aldrea.”_ Esplin praised me, his cold hand touching my ear gently.

<Thank you…> I replied stiffly as I found myself faltering for a moment. He always praised my skills in this way but it still makes me flustered.

“ _How about after this game, you come with me to the bath.”_

Now _that_ was an unusual request. Enough to make me look away from the screen again.

<Excuse me?>

“ _I wish to bathe with you.”_ His freezing hand found it’s way to my cheek again.

<How?> I asked, narrowing my eyes slightly while jerking my head out of his hand.

“ _My morph.”_ He answered simply, hardly reacting to my rejection.

<I shall have to say no.> For some reason the thought of his morph’s hands all rubbing my body made me feel uneasy. <I shall be going to the extract tender in fifteen minutes anyway.>

“ _Great, just great.”_ He backed away from me before rolling off into another room. Well at least I made him go away. But why… did I feel bad about it?

….. Why?

After another ten minutes of this damnable game, I had enough now. So I logged off before turning off the hologram screen, stretching. I perked an ear up to listen for my husband but I was only met with silence again. Not too surprising but I did wonder what he was up to. Perhaps maybe I should be the one to check up on him?  
  
I stepped out of the recreation room, glancing from side to side with my stalks. I then turned right, heading towards Esplin’s own personal area of the scoop. I could hear movement within his room which was a good indication that he was within.   
  
Stealthy I snuck to the corner before turning an eyestalk into the room. I spotted him at his work table fixing a dracon beam with his unsteady robotic hands. He stopped for a moment, his robotic dome moving up on it’s neck like pipe. I quickly snatched my stalk away from the door just as he started to turn his head around, sucking in a breath.   
  
“... _Huh…”_ Was all I heard after that.

Though now I was curious as to why he was messing with an a dracon beam in the first place. Was he fixing it or taking it apart? There wasn’t much need for dracon beams anymore so I saw no reason as to why he would be fixing one. After all, we were no longer at war.   
  
I sucked in a breath through my nostrils before walking forward, sweeping aside the cloth in front of the door.away as I boldly entered his room. There was a clatter before Esplin’s dome spins around to face me quickly. I froze in place wondering if I was a little bit _too_ bold in entering his space.

“ _.... Is there something you need?”_ He asked me hesitantly as he gathered up pieces of the dracon beam into a pile in front of himself.

Ah, so he was taking it apart?

<I was simply curious as to what you are doing.> I said, taking a few steps forward while keeping an eye on his movements.   
  
“ _I am repairing my old dracon beam.”_ He replied as his dome spun around back to face his weapon. “ _I may not use it anymore but I like to keep it in repair._ ”

I stood beside him, leaning down to look at his work for a moment. His hands fumbled for a moment with the parts before he stuck the barrel back onto the main body. He then stuck a lock screw into the trigger before snapping the trigger back into place in front of the screw.   
  
“ _Is there… something else you need?”_

I could tell I was probably making him uncomfortable so I decided to play it off.

<You said you’d like to spend more time with me, so here I am.> I said with a small smirk.

“ _I thought you were going to get extracts again.”_ He softly said.

<I decided against it… but perhaps you would rather join me for a walk?> I needed to go out anyway, I was starting to get irritated being stuck inside.

He was silent for a few moments before he said, “ _Really?_ ”

<Yes, Esplin.>

He was away from the table within moments, his fingers folding together as he turned his dome up at me. I could see the yeerk inside squirming a bit against the controls. For a moment, it was really adorable to see him excited like that. Then again, I might be just getting used to him.

“ _Let us go then.”_ He rolled forward past me, making me smile a bit. Perhaps this might make him calm down enough for me to sleep tonight. So I followed after him out the door watching him roll along quietly.

Once we made it outside, I realized that it had finally stopped raining. I was relieved that I wouldn’t be washing acid out of my fur again tonight. I was even more relieved because that meant I can take my time walking with Esplin as well.

I easily hopped over the log that sat a few feet from the door as I followed Esplin’s quick movements as he left our yard.   
  
<The air is not too dry today. I believe the rains may have helped.> I was surprised to find that it was quite humid at the moment. I could actually breathe without it hurting for once!

“ _I know how much the dry air hurts you andalites. Pity really.”_ Esplin sympathetically said, his dome facing me.

<It is. I think I would enjoy it here more if I was able to go out more often than I currently am able to.> I noticed a pair of warrior walking by, watching us quietly. Were they judging me?

“ _Ah, but an andalite’s home is under the stars after all. Too bad we never see the stars down here.”_

<Do not be so fretful Esplin. It isn’t much of a loss...> I hated to admit the star systems in this part of the solar system was blocked by an odd cluster of clouds surrounding the inner part of the solar system.

“ _Still…”_ Esplin began. “ _I’d want you feel like this is your home as well. This is, after all, where we were married.”_

I flicked my ears back remembering the ceremony quite well. We spent most of the ceremony in a scoop while it rained rather hard outside. By the time we took our first ‘run’ (walk more like it) together, it had stopped raining and we managed to make it to the marital scoop without incident. Those were the first few nights I spent on the planet since I was a child.

<I am glad… it was my home when I was young.>

“ _I am very aware that you were here as a child Aldrea. It is good that my people hadn’t killed you to be honest. I wouldn’t be with you today.”_ Esplin turned his dome away.

<Ah…> I was a bit surprised he would even bring that up. He knew very well that was a sore subject for me. How brave of him. <I am glad I am alive as well…>

_Even though your people murdered several of my own after we tried to befriend you._

But I kept that to myself, for now.

<How is the outreach program going?> I asked, quickly changing the subject.

“ _Ah! It is slow to start so far but with the help of the scientist I believe we can have many more yeerks joining us in peace instead of ignoring your people. Those who join the outreach program are offered classes and a chance to gain a job within the andalite workforce here.”_ I could hear his excitement now as he spoke. Was he really doing that? That was… unusually kind of him. He seemed like the type that didn’t cared much for his people, preferring to connect with andalites instead. But maybe I was wrong about him.

How about that!

<I am… proud of you for doing that for your people Esplin.> I replied quietly, placing my hand on the side of his done. Almost like I was kissing him even, how odd. <I really am.>  
  
“..... _I…. Thank you.”_ He clearly seemed touched by my words which for some reason made me smile.

I knew he wasn’t the one who had killed my people, in fact he was born after that attack. It wasn’t too fair of me to be punishing him for something he didn’t do. But it was hard letting go the pain of my father’s dishonor and my childhood bullying because of it. It was a process to heal from the pain the yeerks had personally caused me.

“ _Aldrea, can we perhaps… go out in a few days? Maybe to that extract tender… together?”_ I could tell he was hesitating asking me this.

<I believe so… but what would you get out of that?> I asked, curious.

“ _I will be in my andalite morph of course. I want to experience what it might feel like to join andalites while they’re relaxing for once. Most of my interactions are of the business type.”_

<Ah… I understand now.> That would also be our first outing together with his andalite morph… in public. What would the other andalites think of it?

“ _Please Aldrea?”_ He came to a stop in front of a dying tree, looking up at me.

<Very well, Esplin.> I crossed my arms over my chest. <I will allow it… just this once though.>

I could practically see him light up with happiness at my acceptance. For a moment he wiggled against the controls again before his hands were suddenly upon my arms, pulling them apart. He grabbed my hands into his own, startling me for a moment. I was supremely uncomfortable with him touching me like this. I just wanted to yank my hands away from his cold ones but for once I didn’t. He was being tolerable for once after all.

“ _Thank you so much Aldrea, you have no idea what this means to me.”_

I tipped a stalk at him, uncomfortably aware of being watched by my own people now. Why did he have to do this out in public!? So I carefully slipped my hands away from his, face burning while I smiled nervously down at him.   
  
<Just please… do not embarrass me okay?>

Esplin seemed to vibrate with excitement. “ _Of course… my dearest wife.”_

I almost groaned when he said that out loud. I knew I would be hearing rumors from some warriors tomorrow.


	3. Chapter 3

Five sunrises had passed since that promise and I awoke one morning to something odd.

First came the feeling of something warm, and fluffy pressing against one of my cheeks. As if I had my face buried in the fur of another andalite. But then came the feeling of a warm hand pressing against the small of my back, rubbing it gently while I tipped my head back to rest my chin on the fur. I could see a pair of silver eyes looking down at me, warm and adoring. They curled as I nuzzled into their chest.

I felt safe with this andalite, so very safe. His warm scent tickled my nose, smelling of spring water and fruit.

It reminded me of my first months of life with my mother on the homeworld, curled in her pouch as she ran across our home fields with my father racing after us. I could see my father’s face, worried but excited as he followed us. I could hear him calling after my mother to make sure I don’t fall out and to watch where her hooves are going. Mother just laughed at him, kicking her hooves into the air as she playfully started prancing.

For a moment I felt a longing to be back in those times. Back in the times where there were no yeerks, only my father and my mother. So much more simplistic… so much more nicer.

The andalite’s hands gently brush through my fur, messing with my mane before rubbing against my ear. I smiled for a moment as my hand found it’s way to his and I gently touched my fingers to his. So warm… so real… so… real?  
  
I was starting to think this was a rather realistic dream until I opened my eyes to see who was laying with me.  
  
<Good morning Aldrea!>  
  
It was Esplin’s smug face I woke up to first.

<?!>

I was quick to push away from him, my face burning as I gazed up at his smiling expression. I could still feel my fingers were entangled with his, being gripped tightly. He was in morph, which was the second thing I noticed. The first was the fact that he had decided to climb into bed with me without my permission.

Good.

<What are you doing in my room? In my bed as well?> Why were my hearts beating so quickly as well? His morph… was a little bit too attractive. He must’ve made it that way, the filth.

<I thought it would be nice to wake up with your husband at your side for once.> Esplin’s face was curious but confused. <Did I startle you?>  
  
<Yes… yes you did.> I lowered my ears, wondering if I should trust his words or not. It does seem like he’s telling the truth but I was still a bit unsure. <Please ask me next time.>  
  
Esplin’s fingers tightened a bit more before he released my own, his eyes curling into a warm smile. <Do not worry, I will… Now how about you get up and we go for a walk again? It isn’t raining this morning.>

I tipped my head to the side but then rolled over onto my stomach before pushing myself to my hooves, stretching as I go. I might as well humor him again this morning. After all, no one has said anything about us spending time in the morning walking about. At least not to my ears directly or even near. They all probably know better than to do so.

I could feel him brushing up beside me, causing me to step away quickly as the fur around my shoulders lifted ever so slightly. I glanced over at him, noticing that he was examining me quietly. I felt even more discomforted as his eyes wandered my body before focusing on my face.  
  
<You are rather beautiful you know. Quite beautiful.>

I felt my face burn at his sudden compliment.  
  
<Thank you… But why?>  
  
He tipped his head to the side. <Why?>  
  
I scuffed a hoof against the ground a few times before shaking out my body, stepping out of my curl as I do. <Nevermind.>  
  
<Are you asking me why I find you attractive?> A teasing smile crosses his strong features as he stepped in beside me while we walked out of my part of the scoop.

<Please Esplin->  
  
<I find you attractive because _you are_ attractive. So much more lovelier than any other female I had seen of your species. Your gentle face, soft purple fur, lean but femalish form… So very lovely… That personality of yours perfects you as well. Wild, strong willed, focused… I love everything about you.>  
  
I felt myself shake for a moment as embarrassment washed over me. That dreamy look on his face as he spoke of me was surely even more embarrassing! How could this yeerk find me so attractive!? We are not even the same species!

<Esplin…> I shook my stalks at him, wondering how could I have gotten such a strange yeerk for a husband.

<It is true Aldrea! I do not fib nor do I fluff, you really are attractive!> He pressed his body against my, heating up my side with his own.  
  
I felt my hearts skip a beat once more, my eyes widening. My legs felt so weak all of sudden, almost as if I was about to collapse. It took me a moment or two to realize that I was laying against him a bit, staring up at him like a love-struck fool…. Ha!

<Was that sufficient enough to make you sway on your hooves my Aldrea?> He slipped a finger under my chin before pushing my head up to look into his eyes. <I must be getting good at this.>  
  
That was when the spell was broken.

I snapped my head and body away from his before throwing my tail into the air, giving a haughty snort as I do. He stared at me with an amused expression as I puffed up my fur. How dare he!  
  
<Hardly, I was still feeling fatigued from training yesterday.> I replied, stomping away to feed.  
  
<Yes, yes, believe as you will Aldrea.> He called after me, clearly amused.

I felt my tail kink towards the end, throwing itself into a threat posture while I shoved aside the veil to the feeding area. I stomped my hoof into the grass as the veil swished back to it’s resting place, blocking my view of Esplin. Despite my upsetness and displeasure, I still could feel my hearts beating in my chest wildly.

Why did he have to choose such an attractive morph!

I could hear him just outside of the veil. His hooves stomping and scraping against the ground.... Didn’t he know I could hear him?!

<Go away Esplin, _please_ .> I did not mean to sound so vicious but he was starting to get on my nerves. Why must he linger?  
  
<Aldrea, you find me attractive correct?> He asked suddenly from the other side. I stepped away from the grass I had been consuming, surprised by his question.  
  
<....> I wasn’t sure I could answer that properly, not even a single bit. After all, he was simply a yeerk and not an andalite. I did not find his normal form physically attractive nor the yeerk attractive either personally. But his andalite body… there certainly was a physical attraction to it. I could fib and say I did just to get him off of my back but then again he might double his efforts to get close to me. But… I could certainly hurt his pride if I said no as well. He may become distant and even cruel if I am not careful.  
  
<Aldrea?>  
  
Ah, I have been hesitating too long it would seem.

<....... I am not sure.> I decided that it would be best to remain neutral.  
  
<You are not sure?>

<Yes Esplin, I am not sure.> I turned back to my grass, wondering why he had so suddenly asked that. Why would I? I was an andalite and he was a yeerk. It was so odd to think of him in any way but a distant stranger. I don’t even think of him as a friend.

<Why?>  
  
I grinded my hoof deep into the grass.  
  
<Because Esplin, I am not sure.> I repeated carefully.  
  
I got nothing but silence after my answer. I pricked my ears back once I heard his hooves stepping away from me, leaving me to feed. I felt myself sag slightly in relief as I realized he was leaving me alone.

Finally…

I wondered what was going through his mind though. What did he take from my answer? I had to wonder if he took it as a yes instead of a ‘maybe’. Knowing my own luck, it was probably going to be a yes in his mind. The last thing I needed was that going on for sure.

I pulled my hoof from the grass looking towards the veil.

Maybe I should get intoxicated today… He might have something planned again tonight.

* * *

 

I stood at the table in front of the extract vendor, hoof buried in a pool of pink liquids as I stared silently forward at the holo just above the drink shelf. I watched as a pair of andalian males ran after a ball that was hovering close to arm level. They were pressed against one another as they tried to trip each other over. Sweat glistened across their fur as they fought one another until finally an outlier stole the ball away and disappeared back down the court leaving the two males to run after them.

<What’s the current score?> A youngish looking male was suddenly beside me, stepping up close to the table.

I only spared him a single glance. <Fifteen to thirty seven, the gray team seems to have the advantage due to that brute of a male.>  
  
<Conrell-Allful-Pereja?> The male tapped the table gaining the vendor’s attention. <One graymill please.>  
  
<I believe that is his name…> I twitched an ear, wondering what this male was up to. Perhaps he was just looking for a friendly conversation?

<Quite the tough one to beat that is for sure. He is more strong than fast and they other team needs to figure that out soon.> The male let out an amused snort as he stuck his hoof into a bowl that was just slipped under the table.

I finally looked at the male for real, taking a good moment to take in his face just to make sure I hadn’t met him yet. But as soon as I look at his eyes, a wave of recognition washed over me.  
  
<You… you have silver eyes!> I gasped, stepping away from the bowl. Did my mate change his morph?!  
  
<Ah… is that… upsetting for you?> He sounded confused as he eyed my twitching tail.  
  
<No! No! Of course not! It’s just…>  
  
<That yeerk husband of your’s took my DNA for the morph. Did he really use my silver eyes?> The andalite looked slightly amused.

<Yes.> I stiffly replied.  
  
<Quite an unusual color is it not? I assume you find them attractive in some way?> The male was insinuating something. Was he insinuating that I had become fractious over his eye color because I had felt something?

<Yes and no, but what does that have to do with you?> I snipped quickly, going on the defensive.

<Because that would explain why he chose me. He probably knew you liked silver eyes.> The male looked away back to the holo, leaving me upset and flustered.  
  
<If you really think I find that _yeerk_ attractive in any form then you are _wrong. > _ I pushed my empty bowl back under the table as I glared at the other andalite. <I assume there are rumors about me, are there not?>  
  
<Yes, yes there are.> He smirked a bit more.  
  
<I assume it is about me and him being lovers?>

<Are you?> He tipped his head slightly to the side, smirking.  
  
<Of course not! I absolutely _hate_ him! I only tolerate him because I _have_ to, if I had a choice I would be back on the home world. Not on this disgusting desolate planet!> I struck my tail onto the ground a few times, letting out an angry snort. I knew getting angry was quite crude for a female but I could no longer stand it.  
  
<Tender, I would like a _sevirel_ to go!> I turned my angry gaze onto the poor tender who looked quite frightened for some reason. In fact he wasn’t even looking at me, he was looking at something else that was behind me.

The fur on my haunches rose up as I turned a stalk around. My stomachs sank to my hooves as I realized behind me was one of the Electorate, the one who currently presided over the embassy. I could see it in his eyes that he was displeased with my outburst. I took the moment to look around me, noticing that some andalites were surprised while others were amused. What had I done?  
  
<Aldrea-Iskillion-Falan, come with me _now._ > Sermur-Corstad-Elligap, the electorate member, slowly said. <We have much to discuss.>

I pulled my tail around my hooves as I knew that I was in quite a bit of trouble now. I could just hear it in their gazes. The rumors that were starting to brew.

A lovers quarrel? That’s what I knew they were thinking… I just knew it.

I followed Electorate Sermur out of the tender’s scoop, my ears nervously angling back. <Sir I->  
  
<Be silent _child, > _ I flinched as he whipped a stalk around to look at me, <You have been misbehaving long enough. Your mate came in with some concerns about your _relationship_ with him. Do you realize that if the yeerks think we do not accept them that it may cause a disturbance. Or perhaps discontent amongst the yeerks themselves? I’m sure you know what they did with the discontent last time.>  
  
I wrinkled my nose but dipped my stalks, desperately trying to hold my thoughts. How dare he talk about that! How dare he!

<Good, now I understand he is not the mate you would want but he is the mate you have now. You are to treat him as an equal and as a mate. I do not care if you hate him, you are supposed to be an ambassador. If making him comfortable means kissing him every night and morning, _do it. > _ Sermur stops at the end of the path from the tender’s scoop, looking at me dead in the eyes. <We do not need another war Aldrea. Esplin is quite the powerful yeerk in all respects, he is what they call a Visser… He is their Visser One to be more exact. If he tells the Council about how you have been treating him that will reflect on our people as a whole.>  
  
I just looked away, my stomachs tightening in disgust. I knew what he was saying was true and I have been trying to keep the peace but how can he expect me to love a yeerk? How could he say that I would need to treat him as my real husband just to appease some _slugs._ What had we all have fallen to?

<Aldrea, I can see it in your eyes. You do not wish to follow what I have said, correct?> Sermur scuffed a hoof into the ground, his nostrils flaring. It was best not to anger him.  
  
<Yes, but I do have my reasons…> I angled my ears back, angry at how defenseless I was in this situation. <It is hard to care for him when we are not even the same species.>  
  
<Look past his species Aldrea. He is your husband after all.> Sermur huffed. <If I hear another complaint from him, I will be cutting all of your privileges and restricting you to your home. Do I make myself clear?>  
  
I felt ill, so utterly ill. Not even a speck of sympathy from even my own kind. I would be stripped of all of my escapes if Esplin were to come with “concerns” to Sermur again. This was certainly a fantastic day wasn’t it?  
  
<Very well, Sir.> I answered half heartedly.  
  
<Good, now go home to your _mate_ and make sure he is pleased by the end of the night… also do become sober as well. It is unbecoming of a female to be drunk.> With that Sermur stepped lightly away, tail raised haughtly above his body.  
  
For a moment, I hated him as well. How could he do this to me? How could anyone be allowing this? Not even my own parents fought against this arrangement. They were even supportive of it. Of course it would restore my father’s honor in some capacity. Not a lot sadly…  
  
I let out a heavy sigh as I dragged my tail across the dusty ground, taking the path up towards my home scoop. I was only half way there when I heard wheels turning towards me. I spotted Esplin and another yeerk in a robotic host, going down the hill rather quickly. Esplin came to a stop once he noticed me.

 _"Aldrea, I will be out the whole night. There is an emergency at the pool.”_ Esplin said. I twitched an ear, feeling a moment of hope. So I will have the scoop all to myself?  
  
<What happened?> I asked politely.  
  
“ _Apparently… my brethren have been executing rebel forces within their own pools.”_ Esplin’s voice had no feeling to it but I could tell this distressed him.  
  
<Executing rebels? How?> I was a but curious on how Yeerks would execute anyone in the first place. It seemed rather impossible given their forms.  
  
“ _They have been using the robotic host bodies to… crush fellow yeerks.”_ Esplin was starting to roll past me just as his companion signaled for him to come. I could tell for sure he was in a panic now. “ _Please stay in the scoop until we calm the situation. I do not want you to get hurt if the rebels retaliate.”_

Oh, now that sounds interesting. A fight?

<Very well Esplin, please do be careful. I do not wish for my husband to get hurt.> I shifted around to face Esplin as he headed down the hill. He came to a complete stop before turning his dome around to face me.  
  
“ _I will Aldrea, I will come back.”_ With those final parting words he left down the hill in a hurry.  
  
I continued up the hill again, ears pointed back until the sounds of Esplin’s wheels disappeared into the landscape sounds.

What an exciting and interesting development that turned out to be! Were the yeerks really about to have a small battle?

* * *

 

“ _Aldrea?”_

I lifted my head from my bed, blinking the sleep out of my eyes as I rolled onto my stomach then got to my hooves. I could see Esplin standing at the entrance of my scoop, silently waiting for me.  
  
<Esplin? What is it?> I asked as I stretched, my tail arching over my back.  
  
“ _It has been quite the long day… do you mind if I morph and rest with you for an hour?”_ Esplin asked.

My first reaction was to say no and go back to bed. But I knew that if I did that I would have all of my “privileges” taken away. So I knew my hand was forced to accept him back into my bed again.  
  
<Very well…> I mumbled, laying back down.  
  
I listened him to wheel off to another room, leaving me in silence for ten minutes before he slipped back in an andalite again. The bed dipped as he walked in beside me then laid down, his tail resting over my back as he does. His stronger arms gently pulled me against his chest, allowing the back of my head to rest against his pectorals.  
  
<Thank you my Aldrea.> He murmured, nuzzling his nose into the top of my head. I could tell he was taking in my scent which was bothersome but not enough to get angry.

<You are very welcome.> I could feel the heat of his body rolling off of him, warming me up.

Silence fell upon us both but yet I found myself unable to sleep. I was uncomfortably aware of how close his body was to mine. If anything, I could feel my own body flush with heat at his own touch. It made me wholly uneasy that any closer and he might as well be mounting me at that point.

Just one lift of my tail and he could easily slip in…  
  
I shivered in disgust at my thoughts, pushing them away quickly. The last thing I needed was to worry about him doing any of that. It wasn’t like he was going to do that anyway. It seemed too odd for a yeerk to worry about those kinds of things.  
  
<Aldrea… My beautiful Aldrea…> His voice sweetly called to me as his fingers dug into my undefined pectorals. <Oh Aldrea…>  
  
Was he sleeping? Was he talking in his sleep?! What an odd yeerk!  
  
I puffed unhappily as I curled away from his body as much as I could without upsetting his grip on me. Well if I had to sleep with him at least I won’t have full body contact...

Well if I can sleep again.


	4. Chapter 4

Stretching out in front of me was the yeerk homeworld’s only lake, almost a sea in it’s own right. The vast gray water stretched far into the horizon and even further if I was to be correct. This lake held millions of yeerks within it, the only greatest ‘city’ the yeerks had. Here I was standing on the banks of it. One of the few andalites to behold it’s ‘beauty’.   
  
Esplin had some business in this lake so we had both packed for a four day trip. Behind me right now was my temporary scoop, which was convenient considering how close to the lake it was. Not far for Esplin to travel. In fact, tf there was ever a high tide, it would probably touch the tent. Luckly, there wasn’t any such water movements on this planet. 

“ _ Excuse me.”  _ A yeerk in a robotic host rolls past me and down towards the pool. I watched in silence as the top opened and the yeerk slipped out into the water before disappearing into the silver depths of the lake. 

This was the fifth yeerk I’ve seen going into the lake today. The first was my husband of course. This lake wasn’t at all near the andalite embassy so these robot hosted yeerks must’ve traveled far to get here. There were a few gedds with yeerks of course, but those were native here to this lake. It was the robotic ones that weren’t. They must be other high ranking yeerks right?   
  
I was starting to wonder if some huge meeting was going on below the surface. That would be rather interesting to hear about when he returned. After all, it was so dreadfully boring waiting for him. He didn’t even allow me to bring my computer. All he could talk about was spending time together alone far away from any distractions! 

But… it was too bad Esplin likes to keep his business far from his pleasure. I probably will be hearing nothing of the meeting.

<Aldrea, I believe it would be best if you return to the scoop. The rains are going to begin soon.> The warrior that they had sent with me as my guard was calling to me, snapping me from my thoughts. I turned towards the male, ears pricking towards them. I could see a mass of clouds forming above us as we spoke.    
  
<Very well.> I sighed, treading back to the scoop.

It wasn’t until later that Esplin did return back to the scoop, dripping with acidic rain. I did my best to avoid him as he rolled through our home in search of a cloth to dry himself off with. I decided to pad after him, following him from behind. I was intending on asking him about his day, and more importantly what he was doing down there.    
  
“Aldrea, I see you are well.” He stopped for a moment once he realized I was following behind him. He turned the dome upwards towards my face, water running down the sides as he does. “Do you perhaps… need something?”

<I am simply curious about your day.> I said, noticing he was messing with his hands almost nervously.    
  
“ _ Ah-ah… that is all? Well it was rather stressful to say the least. After all, I was meeting with the Counsel over the attacks last week. _ ” He said as he starts rolling to the back table where I had neatly stacked cloths.    
  
That was all?   
  
<Ah… alright.> That certainly lost my interest rather quickly.    
  
“ _ Aldrea… you are getting used to me aren’t you? You never wait for me to get home so eagerly. _ ” He pat himself off unsteadily. “ _ I am certainly glad… that you were.” _   
  
The real reason why I was waiting was because I was so utterly bored. He was about the only thing to look forward to, which was extremely sad. But yet his comment still made my face burn. I had to even lash my tail a few times to release some of the embarrassment building inside of me. Must he always return to that tired old subject!

<You just keep thinking that yeerk.> I looked away from him, crossing my arms over my chest while stamping my front right hoof.    
  
He stared silently at me for a moment then returned back to drying himself. I had a feeling he was judging me. When will he take a hint?!   
  
“ _ Aldrea?”  _ He set down his towel, shaking an arm off as he does. Great, he was probably thinking on saying something profound again. Some unwanted advice even. “ _ I wish you give you another gift… in exchange for doing something for me.” _

<What is it this time?> I puffed through my nose, turning back towards him. I was already leaving him be but now he’s drawing me back. I had to admit, he did give fine gifts after all. I admit it, I _am_ selfish.   
  
_ “If you were to get the morphing technology… would you perhaps take the DNA of one our own and morph us? I believe I would enjoy showing you my own world just as you had shown me your’s. I would love to share with you.”  _   
  
I froze, surprise bristling the fur along my shoulders as I focused all four eyes on him. For a moment all I could think about was just having the morphing technology. How much freedom I would have if I had such a thing! But his request soon passed my thoughts and all of those dreams were quick to wither away into wilting petals of unease. 

To become something I so surely hated, even for a small amount of time was disgustingly horrifying. Becoming a blind, deaf, creature that only had only two senses beyond that and then having to swim in that disgusting gray water? That was simply awful! How could he just dangle something like that in front of me and yet give me a compromise like  _ that _ ?!

<Become one of you?> I did not like the idea, I was certain it was clear on my face as well. To become a yeerk… that sounded like my own personal hell.   
  
“...  _ Have a good night Aldrea.”  _ His wheels whirred and he pushed past me. I pricked my ears towards him knowing that I clearly had upset him. But it wasn’t the angry upset. It was saddened kind of upset, the kind I knew he hated showing me for any reason. 

He was certainly a prideful yeerk, wanting to seem more powerful than he actually was. Yeerks naturally were weak, blind, and couldn’t speak. All they had was a primitive sonar and touch. Now that he had a body, he…   
  
I could understand that, at least in a small way. Female andalites were seen as weak as well, unable to match up to their male counterparts. Because of it, we couldn’t do the same things as the males could… like join the army. 

But yet Esplin, despite me being female, supported the idea that I should train myself to fight. He even gave me things to aid me in my quest to do so. So far I haven’t even thanked him for doing so properly. Perhaps I should repay him back… just this once? He  _ did _ do a favor for me so I may as well do a favor for him.    
  
Anyway, if that Electorate moron caught even the smallest whimper from Esplin he would be on me like a  _ hoober _ on a ripe  _ kiwee  _ fruit. Like I needed to be confined to my home with no escape. What an awful punishment that would be!

I let out a sigh and trotted quickly after my husband. I had barely caught him before he left the scoop to roll out in the rain once again. Does he think that machine will handle acid for long?!   
  
<Esplin, you stop right there.> I stood firmly in front of him, blocking his path.    
  
“ _ No. Move out of my way Aldrea, it is obvious you still are not willing to work on this marriage just as I am willing to.”  _ He was rolling forward, almost rolling over my hoof as he does. 

I jumped back quickly, bristling as the back half of my body started to burn as acidic rain spilled over it. I sucked in a breath before twisting my body around just to make sure it wouldn’t get splashed any further. I didn’t need a bald patch for my troubles. 

<No, now listen to me Esplin. I am not too willing to become a yeerk but in order to repay you back for your presents, I will morph a yeerk  _ once.  _ Just once and that’ll be it. That’s  _ if  _ you get me permission to use the morphing technology.> I leaned over him, blowing air against his glass as I do. <Do I make myself clear?>

There was a moment of silence following my words. But then there was a click as his hands pull from his sides and I blinked wide as he placed them upon my cheeks. He pulled my face close enough so that my nose barely touched the glass of his dome. I could feel the cool glass grazing the tip of my nose as I took in the sight of the yeerk itself. Every little detail of my husband’s body was there for me to examine in that moment.

But yet he was so utterly still despite the contact.

“ _ I’d rather you not do this because you feel bad for me or some foolish obligation you wish to fulfill. No, I want you to do it because you care about making me happy… But please, go right ahead and do as you wish my dearest wife. I will look into getting the morphing technology tomorrow if that is your choice. Just please… refrain from regretting it... at least in front of me.”  _ __  
__  
He slipped his hands from my cheeks before rolling back. He then rolled around me, moving beyond my reach in the rain. I watched silently as he disappeared into the steadily falling rain and deep into the dark. 

I angled my ears back nervously, wondering exactly how much the yeerk cared for me. For a very long time I knew he was enjoying our marriage but was he actually in love with me? Do yeerks even love anyway?

I’ve never even got the idea to think of whether or not yeerks love like we did or at least similarly. I thought we both were simply doing our duties. Perhaps that’s what he’s doing, just doing his duty. If that was it, he was doing it so well. So very, very well.

I stepped away from the door and slowly trodded to my corner of the scoop where I plopped down, worried over my thoughts. All I could think about was what might be going through my husband’s head. It wasn’t the first time he spoken to me like that before but yet this time he had so much passion about what he was saying. He seemed so… sincere and it disturbed me.

How deep were his feelings for me exactly?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the short chapter but I felt it would be best to end it where it did. The finality of the chapter sat just right with me. Hope you're all enjoying this so far!


	5. Chapter 5

<Esplin, I am not too sure of this.>

I was knee deep within yeerk slup niar sludge, feeling it seeping into my hooves. Across from me, plodding through the sludge was my husband. He seemed to be enjoying himself as he pushed further and further into the sticky murk. But for me, it was terrible. It stuck to my hooves and fur, weighing me down.

<Aldrea, just close your hooves. This water won’t hurt you.> Esplin snorted in amusement.

<I am! It just feels…> I shivered as I pulled one of my hooves out of the muck long enough to see that it was staining my fur. <I’m out of here!>  
  
I hopped quickly towards the shore before scrambling up the bank, shaking each of my hooves in turn. I could hear Esplin splashing behind me, his heavy hoof steps turning the water. His side brushed against mine as he caught up with me on the shore.  
  
<What is wrong? I thought you wanted to swim.> Esplin let out a small snort of amusement as his tail curled over mine.  
  
I was quick to yank my tail away from his, nostrils flaring in displeasure. < _You_ wanted to not me. The water on this planet is absolutely disgusting.>

Esplin’s fingers found their way to my cheeks where he pressed them down, pulling my head up to look at him. My hearts thundered in my chests as my eyes met his silver ones. We both stared at one another for a few long moments before Esplin leaned down, breath billowing against my nose.  
  
<One day you’ll get used to it. I promise that I’ll do my best to make this place your home.>

He squeezed my cheek one more time before pulling his hand away. I was quick to step back, rubbing my tail against my back leg as I looked away with a small snort. My face burned from his gentle touch, cheek still tingling. I still hated it when he touched me but I was getting used to it. It wasn’t as bad as it was before, it was a bit embarrassing even. My hearts always seem to throb wildly after he does...  
  
<I hope so…> I start trudging back to the scoop, shaking my tail off a few times as I do. Two more days at this place and I can go back home. Go home and play games in my nice clean, dust free scoop.  
  
Esplin stepped on beside me, pressed his wet side against my own making me stiffen slightly. His gaze was adoring as he brushed his fingers slowly over my ear. My breath shuddered in my throat while I leaned into his touch slightly, my eyes fluttering close at the warmth of his fingers.

<Aldrea… Perhaps we should just leave the planet for a few months. Find another planet, a quiet one, and just live there for a year. Just you and me.> Esplin’s finger slipped from my ear before he looked to the lake. <This planet is starting to wear on me as well Aldrea. Just you and me!>  
  
I could tell there was something more to what he was saying. But my mind raced, excitement and confusion filling every thought. How stressed was he? Was he really suggesting we run away together? There was no way they would allow us to leave the planet for some kind of trip.  
  
But yet… it sounded so wonderful. Oh to leave this place!  
  
<That… sounds wonderful.> I leaned against him for just a moment then pulled away as embarrassment washed over me. He’s really going to start thinking I _liked_ him.

Esplin’s eyes had curled into a warm, adoring smile again as he placed a hand on my arm. I closed my eyes slightly, enjoying the feeling of a warm hand against my body. <For you Aldrea, I will give you the whole universe if you wanted it.>

His words were sincere, I could tell. Coming from him, in his current form, it made my hearts soar. I knew I was more attracted to this form than I wanted to be. I couldn’t help it, there were not many andalian males on this planet as handsome as him. It was too bad he wasn’t born an andalite.

But I had to remind myself that even if he was born an andalite I would still be married to a yeerk. He also would marry a female andalite that wasn’t me. After all, I was the daughter of Seerow the fool. Seerow who had nearly started a war with kindness.

This was the best I was ever going to get.

<Ah! Look at the time.> He was looking up at the sky. <It is time for me to demorph.>  
  
<Ah… Already?> I knew I sounded disappointed but I couldn’t help it. His yeerk body was just so… _unattractive._ Why couldn’t he be an andalite forever?  
  
<We can still do something else Aldrea, don’t worry. Perhaps we can go for a long walk along the shore together. After all, my robotic body was modified to be able to move along this terrain.>

I could feel his smiling eyes upon me now, waiting for me to agree.  
  
<Yes… that is a good idea Esplin.>

His gaze brightened even further as he brushed his fingers through my mane before trotting off to our scoop. I trailed after, wondering why he was promising me so many things now. It was like he was working hard to win my favor. Did he get threatened too?  
  
I shook my tail a few times like I was flicking a thought away from the end of it. There was no way they would threaten him. It was like he was immune to doing wrong. I was the one who was to blame all the time in their eyes. Absolutely unfair.

I stood outside of the scoop silently waiting for him. I was still mulling over the fact that he offered to not only get me morphing technology but also take me off planet. Was he planning something? I knew it wouldn’t be heinous considering he hadn’t even shown a hint of being dangerous. He was mostly… himself I guess.

“ _Alright Aldrea.”_ Esplin came rolling out of the tent, arms folded in front of himself. “ _Ready to go?”_

I dipped my stalks towards him, curling my eyes slightly in a social smile. He rolled forward with me following close behind him.  
  
<You just reminded me.>

“ _Of what my dear wife?”_

<Did you ever get any response on me gaining the morphing technology?>  
  
He suddenly stopped almost as if he had just remembered something. “ _Ah… I have no response yet Aldrea..”_ He sounded a bit nervous. “ _Perhaps maybe in another day or so they will have an answer for me… I hope…”_

<Do not worry, if they deny the request it isn’t quite the worst thing.> I said to my nervous husband while brushing my tail along his cold, metal back. <I am just grateful that you are willing to go to this much trouble for me.>

If he could show relief in a more meaningful way, I’m sure he would. But he just relaxed his arms, rolling forward across the arid ground. I walked after him, hooves crunching on low salinity rocks.  
  
“ _I will keep trying for your sake my Aldrea. I promise you that much.”_ He paused for a few moments then added. “ _If you do get the morphing technology, what other morphs would you be interested in getting as well?”_  
  
I paused at his question.

<A flying morph.>

“ _Ah…”_ I could tell he was laughing, “ _Of course you would. Too bad we do not have airborne creatures on this planet.”_

<I know that.> I flicked my tail, irritated. Not like there was much to morph here anyway. I could morph their natural predator but that surely wouldn’t go well with the rest of the yeerks, especially my husband.

“ _I am sorry…”_

<For what?>

Esplin rolled to face me, interlocking his fingers as he does. “ _There isn’t much here for you and I can tell how… well… bored you are.”_

<That… is not your fault.> My voice was low as I spoke. <I mean, what is there to do? It’s not like we can leave the planet or travel it either…>  
  
“ _Travel my homeworld?”_ Esplin rolled close to me, taking my hands in his. “ _That’s a_ brilliant _idea Aldrea! Yes, yes just you and me traveling my world! No Counsel members to bother nor other andalites.”_

Oh no.

I quickly yank my hands out of his, eyes widening slightly. <W-Would they even let you leave?> I sputtered out quickly, realizing my erroneous ways.

Suddenly his hands slipped from mine and he rolled back, tapping his dome. “ _They will if I ask. After all, I can have my Sub-Visser fill in for me until I come back! I’ll even ask now!”_

Before I could even reply to him, he rolled around me before speeding towards our scoop. My ears flopped to the sides of my head as I felt the familiar feeling of lostness wash over me. I could tell that I had made quite the mistake of even saying that to him. Of course he would latch onto that single reason to be alone with me.

Alone…

I flicked my ears several times when that word crossed my mind. Being alone with Esplin might not be my favorite thing but yet I couldn’t help but think about being _alone_ with him while he was in his andalite morph. Something about that sent little shivers of excitement up my spine. I certainly was not attracted to my mate’s personality but his morph… I wanted. I was getting used to being touched by him in that form and I’ve been finding myself wanting more after he _does_ touch me.

What is _wrong_ with me? This... this isn’t normal, is it?

I shake my head trying to clear it as I stared after him, watching him disappear past the flaps of the scoop. I knew that I shouldn’t be feeling like this. I knew this wasn’t right but yet… I could not stop myself from thinking about it. After all, he was the only creature on this planet showing me affection. Most andalites either avoided me or just spoke to me like I was some foolish child. The ones who _were_ friendly also kept me at tail’s length.

For a moment I felt a wave of loneliness crash over me as I realized that I was practically isolated from my own kind. I did not have any friends on this planet. The only one who truly cared about me was Esplin. That is why… I was gravitating to him. That had to be the answer! I simply craved companionship!

Yes, that's it! I wasn't falling in love with him after all!

I rubbed my arm quietly while I looked to the sky, noticing that the clouds were darkening. It looked like it was going to rain early again. I couldn’t help but sigh as I realized that a lot of my life was already being constricted by the damn weather on this planet as well. Fantastic…

I dragged myself back to the scoop where Esplin was eagerly typing up a message to send to the andalite embassy for a request to take me to travel. I paused for a few moments to read what he typed but quickly lost interest in the long slew of words he was adding on screen. So bored, I slipped to my corner of the room, curling up with my tail around my body.

“ _Aldrea?”_

Oh, he finally noticed I was home.

<It’s going to rain so I might as well come back in.> I muttered, curling up further while staring at the scoop opening.

“ _Ah…”_ He returned back to his computer, already typing away. I sighed at him loudly, making my disapproval of him not paying attention. He stopped typing for a moment almost like he was contemplating. He then returned back to typing again and I frowned further.  
  
<Esplin?> I slip up behind him, placing a hand on his dome while twitching my tail.  
  
“ _Hm?_ ” He absentmindedly grunted.

<Spend some more time with me instead of writing a silly letter.> I was deathly bored and he was about the only thing entertaining around her. Normally I would be getting intoxicated just to pass the time. But that wasn’t possible right now.  
  
“ _Spend some more…”_ His dome slowly faced me. “ _Time with you?”_

I flinched realizing a little bit too late that I sounded far too desperate. He must thing I can not be without him! Ugh! Foolish, foolish me!

<You know-> I was about to start lecturing him but he silenced me.  
  
“ _If you really wanted my attention, Aldrea, just ask for it. It is unbecoming of you to just beg for it like that. I know, I know it’s hard to get my attention sometimes but you are my wife and 9 out of 10 times I will give you my attention. Don’t worry I-”_

I slowly stopped listening, realizing that I had set him off. All I wanted was to play a game or perhaps chat not have him gab on about how much of a “good” husband he was. After a minute more, I get to my hooves before circling around in my bed. I then flopped down again, back to him.

 _"A-Aldrea wait!”_ Esplin rolled after me, clearly surprised that I would just walk away.

<Nevermind, it is clear you are more interested in preening your ego.> I snapped bitterly, curling into the blankets. <Leave me be.>

“ _Aldrea, why do you keep doing this? You get close to me and then suddenly pull away.”_ Esplin pressed his hands into my lower body, pressing against my ribcage. I flinched before twitching my tail nervously, wondering my he was touching me in such a strange place.

<Because we are two different species Esplin. I am an andalite, not a yeerk, if you hadn’t quite noticed.> His fingers dug deeper into my fur and I barely stopped myself from slapping him away with the flat of my tail.

“ _It doesn’t matter to me, you know this already! What is it you want from me!? What are you not satisfied about?”_

 _You not being another andalite_.

But I did not say that out loud. That would have serious consequences that I wasn’t willing to face. No, I had to lie to him.

<I have needs beyond emotional.> I can not believe I was going this route but it was plausible considering my age. Maybe if I embarrass him enough, he might just leave me alone.

“ _Are…”_ He goes silent, hands slipping off my side. I let out a breath of relief, wondering him I stunned him into silence. That would be _fantastic._ But my small victory was short lived and had dire consequences.

“ _If you needed sexual release then why didn’t you just say so?! You are my_ **_mate_ ** _Aldrea! It is normal for a species such as your’s to have urges. I might not have the same urges as you but I still wish to keep your’s satisfied.”_

Oh by the three stars, why did he have to be the only yeerk okay with this? Why did I get the _one_ yeerk that would even… this… this was a terrible idea! Many, many mistakes were made!

<Esplin stop! Stop it! Stop, stop!> I covered my ears with my palms while pulling away from him. Now I was the one who was embarrassed! My plan backfired! <Just be silent and leave me alone! Go! Why must you be such an idiot!>

Esplin rolled back but he didn’t leave. I could tell that he was just getting started.  
  
“ _You are… embarrassed of your urges?”_ I couldn’t tell if he was laughing at my embarrassment or he was genuinely surprised.

<No of course not it’s just… You don’t even have any copulatory organs! nor anything sufficient enough to do it! It was foolish of me to even bring it up!> I shook my stalks at him, wondering what was he thinking.

He didn’t hesitate but for a moment before stupidly offering, “I could morph.”

My hands fell from my ears.

<E-Excuse me?>

“ _I’ve thought about it for awhile and well… You…”_ He hesitated further as he slipped his hands back into his body. “ _When I am in morph you always feel so good when we touch. I know it was the andalite’s instinct to mate or be with a female… but I cannot help but wonder if I should act on them. I would love to get closer to you in other ways… perhaps this is the answer to our marital problems.”_

I could hardly believe what I was hearing. He’s already thought about mating with me using his andalite morph? Doesn’t he have _any_ shame admitting that? How could he just…Oh no, what if a guard heard him say that? My whole reputation within the embassy would be ruined within days.

Yeerk-breeder Aldrea is what they would call me.

<Esplin… get away from me and my nest.> I snapped my tail at him, warning him to back off. He was quick to heed it.  
  
“ _Aldrea… was it something I said?”_ He backed away further when I snapped my tail again.  
  
<It was everything you just said. How could be so brash as to suggest that you use morphing to mate with me? That is misuse of our morphing technology! That is misuse of the Escafil device! _ > _I buried my nose into my arm as I rested my upper body on the ground. <Most of all, must you say that out loud? What if a guard heard you?>

 _“Haha!”_ His robotic laugh grated my ears. “ _Always so worried about that silly reputation of your’s Aldrea. If they were ever your friends they wouldn’t care whether or not you are enjoying your husband! Anyway who cares what they think. You have_ **_me_ ** _after all.”_

I glared at him.

“ _Now, now… I am willing to share a bit of information.”_ He paused. “ _That electorate member of your’s told me that if anything_ sexual _happened, he would look the other way. He just warned me that if anything like… say a pregnancy.... Were to happen, he would have to take you to the homeworld until-”_

I huffed at him, warning him to stop talking. Already I could see my life already falling into shambles. Even that fool knew that there was even the slightest potential for something to happen. But I wasn’t about to prove him right. Anyway, wasn’t this whole conversation is supposed to be a diversion?

<Just leave me be.> I turned on him, ignoring him completely now.

“ _Ah… Very well?”_ He rolled off back to his computer space, mercifully leaving me alone.

As I laid there in silence, staring at the wall I realized something. What was it about the homeworld?

Hope suddenly lit up inside of me.

<Esplin?> I lifted my upper body.

“ _What happened to not speaking?”_ He answered distantly.

<If I get pregnant will they send me to live on the homeworld?> I asked hopefully.

Esplin slowly turned to me in disbelief. “ _Yes… temporarily until our offspring is out of school. Why- Aldrea don’t you do that! We are not having a child just to go to the andalite homeworld!”_

At this point, it was tempting but not tempting enough to actually do it. It would vilify me. I would be an outcast even if it was allowed by the government. Or at least it would be pardoned.

<Do not worry, it is not worth having offspring with you.> I curled into my bed again, ignoring him. <Ever.>

I could hear him rolling towards me which made me lift my head to look at him. He reached out with one hand and then suddenly gripped my stalk. I froze instinctively as he slowly squeezed it, just to the point of pain. My main eyes widened at him as he slowly pulled it towards himself before placing his other hand on it.  
  
“ _We’ll have children later on when we both are ready for it.”_ What makes him think I would do that with him? What right does he have to decide that? “ _But I would enjoy it if you refrained from acting like I’m worthless. It gets quite tiresome after awhile.”_

He slipped his hands from my eye, rolling back. I rubbed it for a moment, wondering how he knew that was a way parent andalite would punish a child. It was an instinctive reaction for me to freeze on the spot when my eye is grabbed like that. Normally if we get our eye stalk caught on something we stand still until we maneuver it away or until someone helps us. It’s a good instinct, it’s just annoying a lot of the time.

<It is up to me if we have children or not Esplin, not you. Any since it's up to me, we are never having offspring.> I growled, tail thumping against the ground.

I heard rain starting to fall onto our tent, making me lift my head to look up. Now I was stuck inside for awhile as well with him after a conversation like that. How awkward.

“ _We’ll fall in love one day.”_ Esplin fingers lightly run across the keyboard. “ _I believe that day will be soon… We already are getting along.”_

For a moment I felt anger and hatred flare within me, making me want to snarl at him that I was only ‘getting along’ with him because I would be punished if I didn’t. I didn’t like him and I knew I would never like him. Especially if he continues to say things like that. I managed to quash my anger long enough to release a drawn out sigh, rolling over so that my back was facing him. I was done speaking to him.  
  
“ _Ah… always fighting your feelings for me. It is quite sad really…_ ” Esplin sympathetically said. I could hear him starting to type again. “ _If only….”_

I flicked my ears back suddenly wondering if he was right. I was struggling with my attraction to his andalite form but maybe…

No, no that was silly I knew I didn’t like him beyond his morph. But I feared for a moment that he might be right one day, I might actually start to like him. Maybe his morph was only the first step down a long, and admittedly uncertain, path.


	6. Chapter 6

I was excited for once. This was finally the day that I would get the morphing technology! The day I can finally shed this form and be able to take on new ones as I pleased. He really did it!

“ _You might want to stop prancing my love, you look like a child.”_ Esplin said with fondness as I trotted eagerly ahead of him down to the embassy where Sermur was waiting with the Escafil device.

I slowed down just enough to walk beside him, curling my eyes at him as I did. <Thank you again Esplin. I can’t believe you managed it!>  
  
“ _Why don’t you have a bit more confidence in me?”_ Esplin interlocked his fingers. “ _I said I wouldn’t give up.”_

I placed a hand on top of his dome before lightly rubbing it. <I’m sorry.>

Esplin silently placed a hand above my own, lightly squeezing before letting go. “ _You can make it up to me when we get the yeerk morph.”_

<Right…>

It had been nearly two weeks since we’ve been at the lake. Our request for travel was quickly shot down by Esplin’s own government... but the request for the morphing technology was approved. I was beyond surprised that he had managed that for me. Maybe he wasn’t as… well… _useless_ as I had imagined.

Though oddly enough, this _was_ actually the first time in four days I’ve actually seen Esplin instead of everyday. He told me the day before he left that something happened down at the main pool that needed to be resolved. It sounded urgent too, which made me wonder if something like the rebels being killed was happening again.

“ _Don’t be so displeased.”_ Esplin gently slipped his hand into my own, turning his dome up at me. “ _It won’t be as bad as you might think!”_

_ < _I’m more worried about being blind and deaf Esplin…> I admitted quietly, noticing that his hands didn’t feel as cold as they normally would. Did he have a heating system added?

“ _You’ll have sonar and feeling still my dear.”_

<......> I looked away, hand tightening unconsciously around his. At least there was no one to see me holding Esplin’s hand like this. But yet… why am I still so self conscious? Right… it’s because I’m still holding hands with a yeerk.

“ _Don’t worry, I’ll be with you the whole time. I also still have that collar on so all you have to do is make contact with me and I can speak with you. I know for a fact you haven’t learned the new yeerk language yes?”_ Esplin’s fingers were now fiddling with mine, making my face burn.

<O-Of course… I have no way of learning.> From what I knew of it, it was mostly just clicks and squeals that the yeerks made with their antennae and rather primitive vocal cords. It wasn’t something an andalite can learn to speak.

“ _Then there you go. I'll be of help to you.”_ He gave my hand one last squeeze before letting go.

The embassy came slowly into view and I knew I was moments away from getting the morphing technology.

At the gate, I quietly said good-bye to Esplin, who couldn’t go in without a permit, before trotting inside, hoping that Sermur was in a good mood today. I didn’t want any lectures. I even kept a stern expression on my face as I headed up the hall towards his office. There was no way I was letting that old-hoof male lecture me. I even had the pleasure of startling him as I stepped into his room unannounced.

<Don’t you know how to ask permission?> Electorate Sermur squealed as he tripped over the book he dropped upon my entry.  
  
<I see no reason since you were waiting for me anyway.> I replied haughtily, kinking my tail at the end. I take a moment to look around the dome shaped room, wondering why it was so bare besides a desk in the middle.

<It is still proper of you to _ask_ to come in.> Sermur snapped, storing away a data pad back into his cabinet. His pink eyes examined my own before he wrinkled his nose ever so slightly. I could tell I had angered him. <Let’s just get this over with and get you _out_ of my office as soon as possible.>

He turned to a safe just behind him and pressed his hand down onto the data pad. There was a sharp beep before the door slid smoothly open to the side. Vaguely I could see the cube glowing inside of the safe, which sped up my heart beat. I took a few steps forward just as he took it out of the safe. He gazed at me with his ears back then offered me the cube.  
  
<Just remember, two hour limit and you’ll be stuck.> He held out the cube, staring at me seriously. <Understood?>  
  
I straightened up before dipping my stalks in reply, placing my hand on the edge of the cube. A sharp tingle ran up my arm as the technology entered my bloodstream. It lasted but for a moment and I pulled my hand away, looking at it with a small frown. It still tingled.

He squirreled away the cube back into the safe before promptly closing it. <Now get out.>  
  
I smirked at him then left the room with a bit more of a bounce in my step. I was just glad that I managed to get the morphing technology with barely any problems at all. At least I hope that little barging in thing I did wouldn’t cause me problems later. Maybe… hopefully…

“ _Ah! Did you get it?”_ Esplin rolled up eagerly beside me just as I left the gates. I looked down at him with a slight smile before placing my hand on top of his dome.  
  
<Of course.> I replied with a smile.

“ _Good, good! We’ll get your yeerk morph tomorrow for sure, but first there is something I must show you!”_ Esplin grabbed my hand again making me freeze. I felt my face burn as I was acutely aware of the guards. Why was this so embarrassing?  
  
<L-Let’s just go okay?> I muttered, allowing him to lead me on.

His grip tightens around my hand as he rolled forward, gripping my hand tightly as he does. I stared down at him with a stalk, wondering why he liked holding my hand so much. It wasn’t a normal thing for an andalian couple. We normally held tails or just walked beside one another. Considering he didn’t have a tail in his current form, I guess this was the next best thing for him.

He was silent all the way to our scoop which made me slightly nervous. What did he have planned for me at home? Was it really that big of a surprise?

“ _Wait right here.”_ Esplin said as he slipped his hand from my own. He left me at the entrance of our scoop and disappeared inside. A few moments later he came out with a cage and held it up so I can peer inside.

A small feathery, beaked face stared back at me with it’s sharp golden eyes. It opened it’s mouth in a hiss before backing against the cage, fluffing up it’s feathers.  
  
<A… _kafit?_ Where did you get this?> My hearts lept with excitement as I kneeled down to look properly into the cage.

“ _I borrowed it from an andalite for a favor so that you and I may… acquire it.”_  
  
My eyes lit up as I gazed down at him, fur bristling along my back. <R-Really, you got a flying morph?>

“ _Yes… Yes I did._

I pressed my hands on either side of the dome in an andalite kiss. Once again it felt less cold than normal which made me wonder if he had a heating system. So odd.  
  
<Thank you so much!>  
  
“ _Y-You’re welcome my dear… Will you acquire it then? I need your help to acquire it as well since…”_

I smiled at his nervousness. Was I supposed to put him on the bird in his natural form? That sounded… dangerous. I would have to be extra careful. <Of course.>

I flipped open the cage hatch before carefully wrapping my hands around the avian’s body, pinning it’s wings to it’s sides. It squirmed for a few moments, letting out alarmed squawks while it struggled in my grasp. I was a bit glad this kafit was a male and not a female. Females were much, much larger than a male kafit.  
  
“ _Now focus on the animal and pretend your sucking it’s DNA through your finger tips.”_ Esplin instructed gently.  
  
<Do you realize how odd that sounds?> I muttered back, narrowing my eyes as I focused on acquiring the creature in my hands. Thankfully it went still after a few moments, it’s tiny chest rising and falling rapidly. Soon it’s breathing softens and it goes completely limp, telling me that it was in a morphing trance.  
  
<Okay now->  
  
The top of his dome snaps open and Esplin rises to the surface, squirming as he climbed out the lid. I jolted back for a moment, surprised to see my mate coming out without telling me. He squirmed down the lid before falling to the ground with a wet thud. I flinched wondering if he was doing this to get the morph.  
  
<A-Ah… Esplin how do you want me to...?>

I paused for a moment realizing that he couldn’t respond. How stupid of me!  
  
<Er…> I carefully moved the bird down to him, just as it was waking up. Once the bird touched his skin, it started squawking and screeching, trying to struggle out of my hands. I flinched as it cut a thin blue line across my finger with one of it’s claws. For a moment I was afraid it might actually hurt Esplin as well.

But to my ever growing amazement, it went still and silent just as it had when I acquired it. I blinked several times, my face warming up. Well at least he can take care of himself?  
  
There was a loud snap below me and I flinched away, pulling the bird up. I looked over my mate for a moment, wondering if the bird had hurt him. But it wasn't the bird making the noise, it was him.

He was already morphing.

Skin was rapidly turning into a feathery base while his limbs became wings and legs. I watched in shock and horror as the yeerk form of my husband misshapenly changed from yeerk to Kafit. I just… couldn’t take my eyes off of him. Once again I was entranced by the morphing process.

The kafit in my hand began to squirm again snapping me out of my daze. I was rather quick to stuff it into it’s cage and locked the door. The kafit let out a vicious hiss before squishing against the back of the cage, bristling. Once I looked at my husband again, he was already almost done with his morph.  
  
<Ah! This eyesight!> He gasped as he spreads his iridescent blue wings. <So sharp! So vibrant!>

He turned his eyes on me, beak clacking open and closed. <I believe it is your turn now my love.>

<To morph?> I asked, breath catching in my throat.  
  
<Yes, to morph.>

I picked up the cage and set it on the table just inside the door. I breathed in, my hearts thundering while I looked down at the small avian. It stared back up at me with sharp, beady eyes almost as if to say, ‘Would you really turn into me?’

I flicked my ears back before turning back to my husband. <Turn around.>  
  
<Hmmm? Why?> Esplin fluttered unsteadily up on top of the table where I had set down the cage.  
  
<I do not wish for you to watch me change.> I nervously flicked my tail, feeling embarrassed. What if my transformation was far more horrifying?  
  
<Ah?> He tipped his head in confusion.

<Just don’t question it Esplin!> I motioned for him to turn around, flaring my nostrils.  
  
<Hah hah! Alright, alright, I’ll turn around.> He shuffled around until all I could see was his tail feathers.

Blowing air out of my nostrils, I started morphing.

First thing to change was my back legs. I noticed odd scales appearing under my fur almost like I was breaking out. My tail, much to my horror, suddenly broke into several tails while the blade rapidly withered away and disappeared. I sucked in a breath through my rapidly hardening nostrils while my face stretched out into the kafit’s beak.

CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH

Several of my ribs disappeared making me close my eyes. I opened them again just in time to see my whole lower body shrivel away just as my spine shortens. What was left was a bag of meat and organs that hung from my backside. There was a sickening sucking sound before my organs promptly liquefied and were sucked back into my morphing body.

Shhhhluck shhhluck

My eyesight faded in my stalks and they were sucked into my head, nerves, eyeballs, and all. I felt a sharp moment of pain as I had to adjust to the loss of sight in my eyes. I opened my eyes again to see the ground rushing steadily up towards me as I shrunk to the kafits size. My vision was also sharpening as my eyes became more of the kafit’s. The very last thing I morphed was the feathers of the kafit, which appeared as little lines on my furless skin. I had an itchy feeling as they popped out of my skin.

Finally the kafit’s brain woke up under mine.

DANGER!

I screeched as I noticed another male kafit above me with it’s back turned to me. It promptly turned around startled, feathers fluffing up. Another male was hanging in the cage, hissing at me wildly as it clacked it’s beak open and closed.

I flapped my wings wildly, realizing that I was surrounded by strangers. My teeth grinded together before I took to the air, a warm and dry updraft catching under my lofty wings. I spun in circles as I slowly rose into the air. My eyes scanned the barren landscape for a place to land and hide but…

Where were all of the trees?!  
  
<Aldrea! Aldrea wait for me!>

Just like that, the realization that I was not a kafit but an andalite snapped me out of it. I was not a kafit, I was just an andalite who _morphed_ a kafit. All it took was him calling my name to make me realize it. That was… startling.

I lazily circled around allowing the kafit some control. After all, I wasn’t born with the instincts to fly, the kafit was.

<Aldrea, did you lose control of your morph?> Esplin scolded lightly as he came to circle behind me.  
  
<How come you didn’t?> I huffed.

<It’s sort of like infesting a host. All I have to do is push the instincts aside and just use what I need to. Such as the memory of flight.> Esplin tipped one of his wings and began to fly in a tighter circle.

<Good for you.> I returned my focus to the fact that I was flying at least a hundred feet above the ground instead of the infesting part. The wind sang past my feathers and the rough air burned my lungs. But I was flying, I really was flying!

<This is lovely!> I suddenly laughed, allowing myself to do a little dive then a small roll in the air. I allowed the wind to catch my right wing before suddenly spiraling wildly to the right. I turned one of my left feathers out and I was suddenly raising up fast as I caught an odd pocket of air up. Was this a… thermal?

<Look at them Esplin! They’re all so small as well!> My unfocused eyes caught flashes of andalites roaming below. A few looked up and pointed at us but I didn’t care. This was amazing! I could see so much but yet I am so far away! It wasn't  _as_ good as having four eyes but it was certainly fun.  
  
I felt wing tips brush against mine and I turned my head to see Esplin flying beside me.  
  
<Come.>  
  
He lightly scraped my wing tip with the tip of his beak before veering off. I tipped towards him, my heart thundering in my small chest. He flapped his wings and flew straight up in a wild, thrilling manner. I felt glee burst inside of me as I followed straight up after him. We glided easily across the yeerk sky thanks to the warm air that's always flowing up from the ground. I hardly had to even flap to keep up with Esplin!

Feeling playful, I rolled over and grabbed at his tail feathers before rolling over again then flying straight off. He flapped wildly for a moment then flew straight after me. I could hear a screech erupted from his beak but it wasn’t angry according to my kafit. It was a playful screech.

It wasn’t before long he caught up to me and grabbed my back with his talons. I let out a startled squawk before diving up under his talons. I then shifted my wings down and flew straight up again. I head butted him in the chest before gracefully falling back down. He laughed a pleasant laugh, before diving after me. We twirled together over and over, kicking and head butting one another in play. 

No longer were we andalite and yeerk. We were kafit sailing gleefully in the air.

We broke apart for a moment to fly a bit closer to the acid filled clouds before once again coming together. I kicked playfully at his wing tips while he nibble at my feet. We broke apart again before I came down under him, aiming for his leg with my beak. But what happened next I wasn't quite too ready for.

His talons caught mine and for a moment I could feel my heart beating wildly. His beak gently touched mine as his breath mixed with my own. I hardly noticed how we spiraled through the air, talons locked and wings flaring. All I could notice was him holding onto me tightly as he rubbed his beak against mine. Though his eyes were expressionless, I could’ve sworn I saw adoration shining in those eyes of his.

<Release.> He butted his beak against mine one last time before flaring his wings outwards. He caught an updraft and soared high in the sky again. I watched for a few heartbeats, enraptured by his grace before turning over and capturing the wind myself. I angled my wings just right to start spiraling up towards him.

I caught up to him and for a single magical moment, we were spiraling together up and up. He caught my talons in his again before his beak brushed against mine. I leaned into his touch, eyes closing half way while we fell once again to the earth. The wind whistled past us as my chest pressed against his almost until the point we were squished together. I could feel his mental wall breaking just long enough for me to feel overwhelming waves of love and adoration come sweeping across me.  
  
This time he didn’t let go until we were about to hit the ground. In a heart stopping moment just before it happened, we both let go before soaring up once again. 

I was breathing wildly by the end of it.

<T-That was… Amazing!> I laughed as we spiral up until we caught a thermal that allowed us to glide on our own.  
  
<Yes it was.> He responded as he flew close to me. <Exhilarating too!>

I flapped my wings once before looking at the ground, noticing that we were no longer anywhere near the settlement. Just how far did we fly? I hadn’t even noticed we were going anywhere in the first place! It felt like we were just well… flying!

<It took a lot of trust for you to let me do that.> Esplin quietly said, gaining my attention again.

<Ah… Yes… Yes it did.> It dawned on me that he could’ve let me die or killed us both when we were falling like that. I had so completely given up control to him and allowed him the choice. That was risky…

<Thank you.> He turned his head to look at me. <For trusting me Aldrea.>  
  
If I could have blushed, I would have. He just sounded so… sincere.

<I didn’t even realize it. I just… did it.> I admitted, looking at the ground. I spotted several odd four legged creatures with long tongues moving across the ground, looking like they were just licking up dirt.

<You are certainly a wild one Aldrea. That is what I like so much about you. There is no taming you.> He gently brushed his wing up against mine.

<.....> I felt… happy about what he had said. Not many would say that about me in the slightest. Even my own father saw my wildness as a detriment more than a good quality. He always said I needed to look with four eyes instead of just two.

<Aldrea?>

<Yes… Esplin?> I blinked just as I heard thunder in the distance. Was it really going to rain soon? Oh please don’t!

<I love you very much.>

My heart skipped before I flapped unevenly for a moment. That was the first time he had said that so strongly. He must be confident today.

I lowered my head at his words, searching myself for an answer. I couldn’t say I loved him back because that wasn’t really a feeling I had for him. I more or less was _fond_ of him more than I loved him. I certainly didn’t hate him now for some reason. I guess it’s because he was the only one who’s done so much for me. He’s being nothing but caring towards me and I… have been so cruel to him I guess. I knew I was cruel but I was still in pain from what happened in my childhood because of his kind.

But I knew that it wasn’t his fault that those andalites died. He wasn’t born then. This yeerk had only briefly been with those kinds of yeerks during the beginning of the hork-bajir world invasion (which luckily we had missed due to an error in the z-space calculations) before being whisked away. At least he wasn’t in the _real_ war that took place on the hork-bajir because he was acting as an intermediary between the yeerks and andalites. He knew so much about our kind. And from that first meeting a year before we got married, I got a taste of his passion as well.

<Aldrea?> He was pushing for an answer.  
  
<I hope to say that one day to you Esplin… but for now I can say that my fondness grows for you.>  I turned my head towards him, tipping it slightly.

<That is… Better than I would’ve imagined. I can remember the night in our wedding scoop that you said you hated every fiber of me.> He laughed a rich laugh in my mind. <I am glad.>  
  
I couldn’t help but silently agree with him as I looked forward. It was so much better than the biting loneliness I had normally. For once I felt like I belonged with someone. Maybe the lines between our species was finally blurring. Wouldn’t that be a delightful thing? Me accepting him as my husband after so long?

<Shall we head back, my love?> Esplin asked as he tipped a wing to spiral to turn around.

I flapped my wings twice before silently following after him. His wing tips brushed against mine and my single heart began racing against my wishes once more. I took a single look at him and saw that he was focused on the ground more than me. But I was glad he wasn’t looking at me for I was sure he would see something different in my gaze.


	7. Chapter 7

I looked over the row of yeerks in front of me, contemplating. Esplin had brought in his best yeerks for me to take the DNA of. I was a bit surprised that I would have such a large selection considering how little difference yeerks have between each other when it came to DNA. I would’ve just chosen one and be done with it but he continued to insist.  
  
<Hm…> I looked at the larger one and the smaller one in succession wondering which size I should take. Finally I settled on the medium and small one.

It didn’t take long to acquire each of them. They both just felt smooth and slippery but at least they didn’t squirm when I touched them. But once I finished acquiring them, they all were released back into the pool Esplin was planning on bringing me in. He said this was the nursery section of the pool and considerably more safe than any other part of the pool.

“ _You remember the frolis maneuver right?”_ Esplin rolled up beside me as I take a step towards the pool.  
  
<Of course.> He only explained it to me at least fifteen times.

 _“Very well, then please go right ahead.”_ He rolled back just as I step to the edge of the pool.

Closing my eyes, I began to imagine the yeerks I had just acquired. It was a bit hard to figure out what small details each one had so I simply just went with the size of the mid-sized yeerk then let the technology do the rest for me.

Suddenly I couldn’t feel my legs and I collapsed as all of the nerves within my legs were cut off. All four of my eyes dimmed until I was blind as my stalks shortened. I heard a disgusting wet sound that I knew had to be my bones liquefying.

Shlsh shlsh slsh

My rubbery arms and legs shorted into yeerk fins, losing their shape as they do. There was an odd sensation of my tail both fattening and shortening into a stubby yeerk tail. My sense of smell disappeared with my nostrils as they were closed up by a flap of skin. Now entering near complete sensory loss, I slowly felt panic setting in. This was not normal, this couldn’t be normal. How could a creature live like this!?

“ _Here let me drop you into the water Aldrea.”_ I actually felt something cold picking me up and moving me towards the water before dropping me carelessly in.

SPLASH

I fell belly first into the sludge causing a moment of searing pain to run through my body. I squirmed around for a moment stunned as the pain slowly embedded away. There was another splash beside me that drew my attention just before my auditory sensory melted away just as my morph was finished. Now I was completely blind and deaf.

For a moment panic set in as I realized I really _was_ blind and deaf. How was I supposed to know where to go? How would I know what up and down was in this blackness. We were in water for _illstrum’s_ sake! I found myself slowly sinking down to the bottom, wondering if I should try seeking out Esplin or wait until he finds me. Reason won over panic and I just allowed myself to rest on the bottom while waiting for Esplin to come and find me.

But I could feel the vibrations I assume Esplin was making beside me.At least I hoped it was him because in the next moment I felt pressure on my side before a small tingle emanated through my head.

<Aldrea?>

<Yes, it is me.> I was more than happy to allow him to gently slip me onto his back. I firmly wrapped my odd fins around his body, hoping that would be enough to hold on. At least now I won’t get lost.  
  
<Good, good… Are you ready?> He asked, squirming slightly as he started to move forward. I take a moment to notice that he was much larger than I. Maybe I really did make my morph too small. But ah well, it could be worse.

<Yes, of course.> The body contact was odd to the yeerk I was morphed but it didn’t hate it or liked it. It was like something that probably would happen and it’s just come to accept it. Did that mean yeerks often touched one another? Or was this simply an instinct for when pools get _too_ crowded?

<Where are we going?> I asked him, curious.  
  
<Use your sonar Aldrea, it’s better you see it that way.> He replied mysteriously while diving down.

<.... How?>

<Just focus your primary vocal cords within your throat and just make loud chirps with it. The sound will bounce off an object then you’ll ‘see’.> He explained gently while diving down further. <Don’t worry, it’s not as hard as you might think.>  
  
I stretched the vocal cords in my throat consciously, realizing that I had true control over them. I played with them for a moment, pleased with the odd crackles and small chirps I made with them by just wiggling them. I felt a wave of amusement pass through my mind from Esplin and I couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed.

<It’s alright Aldrea.> He laughed, coming to a stop over something. <Continue to play if you want to. I’ll wait.>  
  
<N-No it’s fine!> I felt even more embarrassment over me playing with my vocal cords. <J-Just give me a moment.>  
  
<I already am giving you a moment.> He said, amused.

I tightened up my vocal cords then began snapping them, creating a high pitched squeak. For a moment there was silence then something lit up my vision, creating a grainy ‘image’ of the land below. I was surprised by this and did it again, once again being rewarded with another look of the landscape.  
  
<A-Amazing! There are so many caves!> I realized with a small wiggled as I leaned over his head to let off more sonar waves from side to side. There were so many small openings and caves that yeerks were swimming in and out of. If I wasn’t none the wiser I would’ve imagined that this was a really, really small city. A yeerk sized city!

<Yes, they are all yeerk made as well.> Esplin replied, amused.  
  
<Y-Yeerk made? But how?!> I asked, surprised.

<We have acidic pores on the bottom of our faces. We use it to break down carcasses and gravel within our pools. The pieces of the carcass or gravel gets stuck in our skin then slowly digests giving us nutrients. We are actually...> He explained, moving out of the way of a group of yeerks swimming quickly by.

<Bottom feeders! That makes so much more sense!> I’ve always wondered how they could survive on so little sunlight filtering through their clouds. But now that I knew that they actually did eat. Not in the same way we did but ate all the same.

<Yes… bottom feeders.> He sounded displeased but I didn’t really care to be honest. It wasn’t like I was saying it in a derogatory manner anyway. <Turn your head to the right then use sonar.>  
  
I did exactly as he said and was surprised by a massive group of small yeerks squeezing out of a large hole at the bottom. I kept following them with my sonar until they disappeared into another hole. I gently squirmed on Esplin’s body before resting.  
  
<What was that?> I asked curiously. <Why were those yeerks so small?>  
  
<They were born just yesterday.> Esplin said as he continued to swim. <They’re still grubs but once they split from their sacs they will become full grown yeerks. It’ll be a day or two more before that happens.>

<Interesting… was that a nursery or something down there?> And how did he know when they were born? Maybe it was just their size that gave him an answer but who knows. All I did know was that Esplin had no clue how many yeerks were currently on his planet.

<No, it is simply a large passageway. The real nursery is back behind us under the outcropping.> He dipped down and swam towards one of the holes. <Here, allow me to show you something Aldrea.>

I could hear the smile in his voice as rock scraped against my back while we entered one of the holes. I held on tight as yeerks pressed in all sides around us, moving with or past us. The mirage of clicks and squeals coming from the yeerks around us made me a bit confused and dizzy. It was like being blasted by images on all sides. Even behind as well! I seriously wondered how a yeerk could stay sane in a place like this.

<We are almost out of the crowd Aldrea.> Esplin soothed, almost like he was reading my mind.

<How are you dealing with all of these clicks?> I asked, noticing that he hardly sounded bothered.  
  
<It is normal for me to be honest. You just get used to it.> He answered, ducking under a blurry line of yeerks that seemed to be on a mission.

<So where are we going?> I noticed when I used sonar myself, after we moved out of the crowd, that we were heading down far into a cave.  
  
<You’ll see soon my love.>

<Oh, surprises?>

<Of course. Now refrain from using your sonar until we get there.>

I relaxed against him, waiting for him to warn me that we were almost. I wondered what else he could possibly show me besides empty waters and caves. Maybe I was being hopeful, but perhaps there was something more to these yeerks than I thought.

<How do you feel about me sleeping with you tonight?> Esplin caught my attention again.  
  
Ah, idle conversation.  
  
<I would not mind that… just please do not smother me. I hate it when you lay on top of me. Makes me feel… claustrophobic.>

<Sorry, I didn’t realize andalites gets so irritated easily. I was merely wishing to be closer to my mate that is all.> He laughed. <Sorry.>  
  
<Hmph…> At least he was apologetic about it.

<Now, now don’t give me that.> He dipped down into what I assume to be another hole. <I said I was sorry.>  
  
<I accepted your apology.> I grumbled.  
  
<So rudely though.> He still sounded amused. <Ah! Here we are!>

We came to a stop and he rested on the floor. He clicked his sonar a few times allowing me to see what was in front of us. Much to my surprise it was hundreds upon hundreds of scratches. At first I thought they were just haphazardly placed but then, once he clicked a few more times allowing me to examine them further, I saw that they were all arranged in patterns.

<What is this?> I asked, awed by the wall of scratches.

<The written old language of my people.> Esplin said as he clicked a few more times. <We didn’t have verbal communication like you andalites are used to. No, we used to dig into the walls using the acids on our antennae to speak. This is probably the reason why andalites assumed we had no culture or the such. We kept it all down here in our scratches.>  
  
<Amazing… simply… _amazing_ …> I could hardly believe it. All of the years my father spent learning about the yeerks he just _assumed_ they didn’t have any form of culture. He thought they were just this fast learning, intelligent species that hadn’t yet evolved enough to leave their pools. In fact, he was completely wrong. So completely wrong. Here is what we were missing. This discovery may rewrite how we look at primitive species as a whole.

<Would you like me to read some of these?> Esplin ask slyly.

<You can read->  
  
<Of course I can read these you fool. Do really see me being _that_ uneducated about my kind?> Esplin laugh as he let out a few more clicks. <Let’s see… Oh this one is interesting! It is rather fresh as well. Apparently a group of yeerks were coming to meet in the nursery to count numbers. Well that’s a first I have heard of this… there is also one that seems to be talking about another meeting by the westside about a broken andalite engine?>  
  
<A broken andalite engine? Like a ship’s engine?> I echoed, confused.  
  
<Yes, it would seem they are referring to that exactly. Oh my! Someone left a note to their offspring here as well. I’m not going to read it because it’s personal but that is rather adorable.> Esplin swam a little bit to the side. <More meetings… odd… it’s more about the andalian engine. I wonder why they’re so fascinated by it.>  
  
<It’s certainly the only technology you’ll find here now I guess.> I squirmed around until I was facing behind myself. I began clicking at the other wall, noticing that the scratches here were fewer, some even dripping with something.  
  
<Hey Esplin? How fresh are these?>

Esplin responded by turning me completely around as he turned around himself. I just wiggled back around until I was facing the same way he was. He let out a few clicks then fell silent. Slowly, ever so slowly, he starts heading out of the cave. Once he was out of the cave, he moves faster through the main cave system.  
  
<Esplin?>

<Be silent Aldrea, it is time to go home now.> Esplin’s voice was calm but there was a hint of strain in it as well.  
  
<Esplin what did you read?> I was starting to get annoyed, what was he hiding from me.  
  
<It is Council only business now. I can not speak of it my love.> He calmly replied.  
  
<So you _did_ read something! What did you read?!> I snapped, holding on tighter now.

<Aldrea once I speak with the Council then I will tell you. Until then, put it far from your mind.> He pushed up out of the cave, swimming even faster now. It was getting hard for Aldrea to hold on properly. But somehow she managed.  
  
<Espl->  
  
<Silence _Aldrea_ .> He growled, startling me. <Why can’t you just listen?! Why must you _always_ argue with me! This isn’t your business to be worried about so stop worrying you fool!>

Suddenly the water around us rocked as something vibrated just below us. There was an odd rumbling feeling around us while the water started to get uncomfortably warm. Esplin let out a few rapid clicks while spinning around and around, almost throwing me off.

Finally it bounced off of something just right below us. I recognized the shape of the object and felt my metaphorical stomachs sink. I knew that shape and now all of those notes finally made sense.

<It’s a ship’s engine! Oh by the three stars it must be on! It’s… it’s going to boil us alive!>

The water was starting to burn my body quickly as it heats up around us. There was a small grunt from Esplin’s mind before he pushed towards the surface. I held on for dear life as my skin started to blister from the agonizing heat that was building.  
  
<Aldrea run! Demorph! Get out of here quickly!> Esplin pushed me up towards the surface and above water.  
  
Cool air hits my boiling back as I trembled from the pain. The water vibrated around us as it was boiled by the andalian ship engine. I could hear rapid fired clicks and chirps from many, many panicking yeerks making my head dizzy from the sound.  
  
<DEMORPH ALDREA!> Esplin roared, sinking a bit as waves of pain rushed over me from him. I knew that he was boiling alive while I just laid here, dazed.

<You morph as well Esplin! Morph!> I cried back at him, the changes to my body already starting as I desperately focused to demorph. It did not take as long as it did before when I was morphing into a yeerk. My fear of being literally boiled alive forced me to morph even quicker.  
  
Once I was finished morphing I still felt my skin boiling. The scent of steaming sludge and cooking carcasses was all around me as I looked from side to side, trying to find Esplin in the water. I watched with a stalk as andalites on shore ran in a panic, shouting to one another.

Where was he? Where was he!?

There!

I scooped up a yeerk with a collar wrapped around it’s neck out of the steaming water and began to trudge towards shore. He felt so warm in my hands, too warm. He had odd little boils all over his body as well, a sign that the fluids in his body were starting to pool under the skin from the intense heat. Any longer and he would’ve burst from the sheer pressure of his fluids trying to escape his body  
  
I was afraid the water had boiled him alive as I scrambled up the rocky face, aided by a pair of warriors. I collapsed onto my knees, my legs searing with pain as I placed the yeerk onto the cool ground for a moment in hopes it would help.

<Esplin? Esplin? Are you alright? Esplin! Move! Do something!> I furiously rubbed my finger along one of his sensitive antennas trying to illicit a response. But there was none.

<What was going on in there?> An andalite was suddenly beside me, leaning over me with a panicked look. I angled my ears back as I brushed my fingers over my still mate, hearts thumping with fear. I silently wished for him to leave me be so I can tend to my husband but with every passing moment I knew he wasn’t going to leave

<I do not know. One moment everything…> My shoulders went slack as I remembered Esplin swimming through the caves with me, showing off the odd yeerk made scratches in the wall then the next… <There was a lot of heat suddenly. There is an engine in there and I think someone is using that to...>  
  
<Damn it, we’ve got to get those yeerks out of there!> The andalite spat before standing up straight, tail twitching. He quickly trotted off to join the other andalites to fish out live yeerks from the water. Dully I realized it was the andalite who gave Esplin his silver eyes.

I focused my attention back on Esplin, wondering if he really was dead. Why did it make me so upset? Why was I so worried about a yeerk?

In the beginning I would’ve been so happy to hear that he died in an accident or something of the like. I would be the widow andalite who lost her husband and nothing more. They probably wouldn’t even have me married again. But yet… here I was worrying over my husband’s still form sick with fear that he might be dead.

I guess… what I feared had finally happened. I may have come to adore my odd alien husband. Now I was going to lose him…

I carefully picked him off the ground and pressed him against my cheek, hoping to hear something.  
  
<-you know that hurts! Quit touching me! Damn female! Put me down and let me rest! I can’t morph if your touching me every second! Aldrea, you fool, put me down! Put me down! Ow!>

Relief washed over me as Esplin told me off about touching him. I guess I would be in massive amounts of pain too if someone was touching my burned spots. So I carefully set him back down into the ground before settling down on my belly waiting for him to morph. It did take a minute or two but he did start morphing.

Exactly ten minutes and fourty seconds later he was lying in front of me, as an andalite, with a rather peeved expression while he rubbed his arms. Though after a few moments, his expression softened and we both relaxed. We were alive and that’s what mattered the most.

My thoughts drifted to the saying that you wouldn’t notice what you had until it is gone. I had almost lost Esplin…

<Esplin, thank goodness.> I couldn’t help but lean against him while pressing my nose into his shoulder. His hand slips to the back of my head as he buried his fingers into my mane. <By the three stars, thank goodness you’re alive.>  
  
<It’s alright. It’ll take far more than that to kill me.> He chuckled warmly into my head. <I am sorry to make you worry so much.>

He turned all four eyes to the water, his expression turning so oddly… cold. His fridged stare focused on the many yeerks being pulled out of the pool before he lowered his head. His fingers tightened around my head to the point of making me flinch slightly. His nose wrinkles before he let out an almost _growl_ sounding noise out of his nostrils.

<I’m going to _kill_ whoever did this.> His blade suddenly flashed behind me as he turned his eyes towards it. For a moment I saw what looked like _understanding_ cross his features as he swiped his tail from side to side.

I froze as he turned his eyes on me, gripping tightly once again. He turned his eyes downwards to my legs and that cold look instantly disappeared, melted by a worried expression. What was… that?

<You… have burns on your legs?>

I looked down to see missing patches of fur where my skin was an angry deep blue. I had so many burns along my legs that it was amazing it didn’t hurt. Did my nerves get burned off? I wouldn’t be too surprised.

<It’s alright Esplin, don’t worry it doesn’t hurt.> I pulled away from him just long enough to look around, the world coming into focus again. <It really doesn’t.>  
  
<.....> He bumped his nose against my forehead before quietly breathing out. He sounded very relieved as he spoke, <I’m glad you’re alive despite… If they had killed you I would’ve surely…>

My eyes fluttered closed as I drank in his presence. It felt so surreal to be touched by him like this. I didn’t even care he was touching me in the first place. I was just so glad that he didn’t die. So relieved.  
  
<I am glad… you…> I pulled away, placing my hand on his while curling my eyes into a warm smile. <You fool, you should’ve morphed when I told you to.>

He chuckled. <I was more worried about you my dear.>  
  
<What am I going to do with you?> I sighed, starting to get up.

I jumped a bit as I registered that someone must’ve done the attack. It couldn’t be andalites right? Why would my own people attack the yeerks during peacetime? It had to be the yeerks… but why?  
  
<Who could’ve done it though? How can one slaughter their own species like this?> I thought aloud.  
  
<Rebels. It was the rebels> He spat as he rose to his hooves. He offered his hand to me and helped me to my hooves. <Those filth must’ve known we were coming here. They came to kill _you_ Aldrea. Probably revenge for not only the slaughter of their people but also for the treaty.>  
  
I felt my hearts skip a beat, realizing that could only mean one thing. <They… want to start the war again.>

They were willing to boil their fellow yeerks alive just to achieve it. That was a _nursery_ back there! How could they kill they own kind, much less children! How awful are these yeerks? Disgust turned my stomaches as I looked to the ground for a moment. How many dead will there be after this?

<Yes of course.> Esplin’s tail laid protectively over my back while he looked around with all four eyes. <What else could they accomplish with it? Those filth have been trying since the treaty. This is only the start Aldrea. They’re going to do everything in their power to start his war again. I don’t know how they expect to fight the enemy when they have nothing to fight them with but that is their goal.>  
  
I laid my tail over his while glancing over at the boiling slup niar. I knew how it felt to hate someone who was supposed to be an enemy. I was one of those andalites who was against the treaty. I guess… I learned to accept it like any other andalite on Andal. But I guess some yeerks felt exactly like I had. But at least I didn’t try to kill my own kind trying to start a war again.

<We need to stop them Esplin.>  
  
<No, _you_ don’t but _I_ do.> He snapped tail tightening around my own. <I know you are strong but this is _my_ fight Aldrea. Stay out of it. If you get involved it’ll be seen as aggression against my kind.>

I flinched glaring up at him for a moment but then went slack not wanting to argue with him right now. We had just escaped death, there wasn’t a point in ruining the happiness. And he was right, if I act against the yeerks now it might be seen as an act of aggression. It was so frustrating that I would have to stand back while my mate fought his own civil war.  
  
<Just don’t get yourself killed.> I leaned into him, nuzzling against his shoulder.

His main eyes focused on mine before softening into a warm smile. His fingers tenderly brushed against my ears while he led me forward away from the horrifying scene behind us. <I will do my best not to. After all, I want to come back to you.>  
  
I closed my eyes, enjoying his touch with a small smile. I shakily reached up before pressing the very tips of my fingers into his cheek. His eyes lit up then he rested his cheek against my fingers, pushing forward until my palm was pressed firmly against his cheek. For a moment a tingling sensation raced it’s way through my nerves, heating them up.

His own fingers slipped down onto my cheeks before pressing his palms against my cheeks. We both came to a stop as I pressed my other hand shakily onto his own cheek. We leaned against one another, enjoying kissing for the first time. His warm presence enveloped me as I fully gave into him. My hearts thundered in my chest as pulses of energy seemed to come from his palms, warming up my face and sending small waves of pleasure to my brain.

<Aldrea, I am glad you are still alive.> He murmured, pressing his nose into my forehead. I curled my closed eyes into a smile while nuzzling his chin. <I do not think I could live without you now.>

I was falling in love with a yeerk. I just had to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading it this far and I would also like to thank my reviewers. I might not reply to everything but every one of them keeps me going. Thank you!!


	8. Chapter 8

Steam billowed around me as I stepped into my private bathing area with quite a few of my cleaning products on my arm. I pricked my ears, looking around for a few moments. 

Was he here again?

I shook my stalks, knowing that if he did show up again I would go to one of the guards. I really didn’t want my bathing time interrupted by anyone. But still, how was he getting by the guards in the first place? After all they were always posted outside to insure that no one bothers me anyway. 

Ah well…

I placed everything in my arms onto the side of the rolling pink pool before slipping inside. A shiver runs down my spine while I stepped deeper and deeper into the lukewarm water until I was up to my neck. I closed my eyes as the water bubbles around me, cleaning deep into my fur.

<Aldrea?>

I sunk further into the water glaring at the door with a single stalk where my husband stood with a pleased smile on his face. At least it wasn’t the male from a few days ago who ‘accidentally’ wandered into my bath. 

<Esplin, I’m bathing.> I mumbled watching as he slowly walks in. 

Lately he has been staying more and more in his andalite form than his yeerk. It’s nice but it’s also bothersome for other reasons. His andalite body was still as attractive as ever and that didn’t bode well for my own physical desires.

<I know, I know but I finally have the time to spend with you. How about I wash your tail?> He motioned towards the bath with a gentle smile. 

My eyes turned to a smile and I dipped my head to him, accepting. Ever since the attack on the yeerk pool he has been busy. It was rare that he was home and he spent most of his time in meetings with either andalites or yeerks. When he did come home it normally was for half a day or so. It _was_ getting lonely without him after all.

He splashed into the water before grabbing up a cloth off the edge of the bath. He slipped in behind me and began gently rubbing the towel on my tail blade.   
  
<How have you been lately?> I asked softly. 

He looked up from my tail blade then smiled as he looked back down. <It’s been rather interesting to say the least. Everyone is afraid there might be another attack.>  
  
<Won’t there be?> 

<Yes, but with the amount of security around the pools now there’s less of a chance that anything might happen.> He wringed out the rag then slowly washed the other side. <Speaking of security, I heard you had an unwanted visitor a couple of days ago.>

<Don’t worry, it was rectified.> I replied, noticing that he was giving me that concerned look of his again. 

<If he comes again then have him arrested. He’s not supposed to be harassing you.> Esplin wiped the top and bottom part of my blade carefully before setting aside the towel. <Or I will do something about it myself.>  
  
I glanced his way, ears pricking forward at his rather protective tone. <You do something about it? Like what?>   
  
<I’ll… I’ll…> He fell silent, slipping beside me. <I don’t know… I just hate the idea of a male andalite bothering you.>

I smiled a bit at this. <That’s normal Esplin. Don’t worry, I understand.>  
  
<Hmph.> He slipped his hand into mine, rubbing my index finger with his own as he does. <It’s always odd feeling… protective. We yeerks do not normally hoard mates like andalites do.>   
  
<If I remember correctly you are polygamous yes?> I slipped my hand from his, placing it back at my side. <It must be odd to be monogamous.>

<It actually… feels right oddly enough. Like I couldn’t share my love with anyone but a single person.> He slipped his hand back into mine before lifting it from the water. His finger gently traced the top of my hand. <I am an odd yeerk, Aldrea.>  
  
I narrowed my eyes into a pleasant smile, placing my hand over his. <Perhaps we are both odd.>

He leaned forward before pressing his nose against my forehead. I could feel him breathe in deeply before pulling away, his ears pricking forward towards me. I found myself losing myself in his silver depths, leaning forward so I can rest on him a bit. It felt so right.  
  
He slipped his hands up to my cheeks and began kissing me gently. I leaned into his kiss while pressing my hands on his own cheeks. We nuzzled one another quietly, breathing against one another. I could practically hear my hearts roaring in my ears while his hands slowly wandered my cheeks. He shifted around and leaned forward again, rubbing his right cheek firmly into my palm over and over, sending delightful shivers up my spine. The spark of energy was there again, this time almost setting my whole body alight.

He suddenly pulled away before slowly trudging around me, looking like he was about to leave. Confused I followed him with a stalk wondering where he was going. His eyes seemed to be focused on me despite him walking around. Almost turning his head in a way that looked pretty painful from where I was. But just as he reached the edge of the slope he turned around and placed his hands on my haunches. I froze, mind racing trying to figure out what he was planning to do now. He really couldn’t…?

Oh yes he could!  
  
He was rearing back now, intent on mounting me. I was quick to duck my haunches far into the water before slowly walking forward. He landed hard behind me, letting out a startled noise as he did. I was quick to push my way through the water to go around him before scrambling up the slide, fur bristling around my shoulders.   
  
<What is _wrong_ with you!?> I snapped at him, shaking out my fur. <Why did you try to mount me?>   
  
<I thought… I… Weren’t you being receptive? My morph…>   
  
<Your morph knows nothing of andalian social cues it would seem.> I crossed my arms over my chest, taking note his confused look. I relaxed before letting out a small snort, ears flicking back. <I am not ready for that anyway.>

<Ah… I’m sorry...> He awkwardly looked away before slowly climbing out of the water himself.   
  
I felt my face flush as I noticed his rather long penis hanging between his legs and flicked my gaze back at him, worried. He turned an eye towards his lower body before tipping his head slightly. He then looked back at me, questioning me.   
  
<Lose your erection before you leave Esplin. It is considered impolite to walk around with one.> I calmly understated as I shook out my fur. <Have a good rest of your day.>   
  
<Aldrea wait how->   
  
I stopped listening to him as I walked outside. He would need to figure that one out himself. If he had to demorph then that’s what he needs to do. The pair of warriors guarding the door dipped their heads at me as I walked by, tail lifted slightly. But despite my demeanor I was still flustered inside about how Esplin had so boldly tried to mount me.   
  
I had made it clear that I wasn’t interested in mating with him but yet he still tried. Did he not believe me or was he simply just interested in testing my patience again? But yet… the way he so innocently thought that I was receptive to him due to his morph instincts I had a feeling he was doing neither. I think he really thought that he was being offered the okay to mate with me.

What am I going to do with my husband? He might know quite a bit about our species but he still sees us scientifically than socially. The way he talked about mating so casually was an obvious sign of that. 

<Aldrea! Aldrea!> I heard Esplin calling feverently to me while his hooves thundered against the ground. I stopped before turning to see him running to me… at least erection free. 

<Yes Esplin?> I asked, pricking my ears. 

<Let us run together tonight… I have a lot to talk to you about.> Esplin didn’t even meet my gaze as he spoke. Interesting… was he embarrassed? 

<Like what?> I asked, uncomfortable aware of him moving closer now. <Why can’t you talk about it now?>  
  
<......> He turned to look at me in the eyes, narrowing his main ones as he does. <It’s of biological importance Aldrea.>   
  
<Then let’s talk about it.> I sighed at him, wondering what exactly he meant by ‘biological importance’.

<Alright then... > He flicked his tail twice before stopping us both. <When do you become fertile?>  
  
<.... What?> I stared at him, perplexed even a bit stunned. Now I wasn’t expecting that kind of question from him. Why would he care if I was about to ovulate? It wasn’t like we were going to breed right? <Not for another month… why?>   
  
<That Electorate had a talk with me… not a serious one but it certainly gave me an idea of what he might be planning soon… Anyway-> He sighed. <He told me that maybe it was about time for us to settle down with a child on the way. After all we are getting closer.>   
  
<Yes… Yes… we are.> Not close enough to start having a family. Not that I would want to have one with him. It would be utterly confusing to have a yeerk for a father after all. How would I explain to any child that their father was a morph of a yeerk. They would get horribly teased as well. I certainly couldn’t have a child with him knowing that… not ever.

He smiled at my reply. <He said he would be willing to prepare a ship back to the homeworld if we promise to return with a child. Though he said this in a more teasing manner than a well…>  
  
<...> Why would they be offering to take us back to the homeworld on the promise of procreating. That seemed too bizarre to me that I was inclined to believe that it was simple teasing on Sermur’s part than an actual promise. But perhaps I could hold it against him and get back to my actual home. How would he know that we were going to have a child? We could never have one and just stay on the homeworld.   
  
Unless… that wasn’t the real reason why. Did the attacks have something to do with this?   
  
<Esplin… that is not the real reason is it?> I tipped my head at him and his gaze fell.   
  
<.....> He chuckled. <You are quite perceptive my dear… No… he also told me that he wanted to make sure we’re both safe just in case there’s another attempt on your life… or mine.>

I sighed in reply, realizing that was quite true. Who knew what the yeerks were capable of now that they had literally boiled their own kind alive in an attempt to kill a single andalite. I knew my people didn’t want to risk for a war to break out so they were probably going to remove us from the planet to protect us. 

<That would be wonderful either way… I mean returning home.> I quickly add, blushing.

He tipped his head slightly at me, mane falling slightly over his face as he does. <I agree, I would love to see your homeworld.>

There was suddenly a loud rumble above us and I looked up unhappily to see that darker clouds were starting to roll in over us. 

<Perhaps we should return home.> Esplin observed some of the clouds in the distance for a moment then returned his gaze back towards me. <Alright?>

I dipped my head to him and the two of us began walking again. I was more or less focused on other things other than my mate on our walk home. I should have been watching him considering he was talking to me but it wasn’t until he suddenly went silent that I looked at him. But he wasn’t beside me, no he wasn’t anywhere near me in fact. Instead he was far behind me with a male blocking his path.   
  
At first I thought they were speaking but then I narrowed my eyes at the blood splattered across the new andalite’s tail. Esplin had this stunned look on his face as he turned a stalk onto his leg where there was a deep blue slash across it.   
  
<W-Why…?>   
  
<Yeerk scum!> The new andalite suddenly spat before lunging forward, tail raised. Esplin’s body suddenly stiffened before his eyes darkened, tail trembling. He allowed the male to slam against him before he pushed upwards with his stronger upper body, forcing the male away. 

The male didn’t give up, he lunged for Esplin again. Esplin lunged forward as well and the two of them slammed against one another with a loud thunk.

Sure you’ve got the normal formal challenges that a male andalite would issue. The nearly bloodless battles that involved the andalite males fighting until one’s tail was at the other’s throat. But this wasn't a _normal_ fight. No, this was a bloody spur of the moment battle where each male loses his mind in the moment and proceeds to slam his body into the other. Limbs being lost is a high possibility but losing one’s life is an even more probable.

Blood splatters across the ground and their fur while each male vies for a position that would put him at an advantage over the other. Their tails are slashing at anything it can touch. Most of the time it barely makes a cut or manages to slash a bit of their haunch off. But there is going to be a moment when that tail will slash open the other’s belly and spill his opponents bloody guts across the ground. The other male will probably keep fighting but soon he will succumb to blood loss and that is the end for him.

But somehow he had locked his tail with the other male’s above his head, forcing them both to use their sharp hooves to tear apart flesh instead. An even slower, even more painful way to die. At least with getting your head cut off it’ll be far faster.

But with Esplin on the bottom, he had the advantage of being able to access the other’s belly. He began to tear apart the andalite’s skin with his strong hooves, tearing out hoof-ful after hoof-ful of flesh. Blood began to run down his legs while the andalite begins trying to pull away, fear in his green eyes. But Esplin refused to let him go.

Esplin wasn’t just fighting him, he was fighting to _kill_ him. There was only going to be one winner this fight and he was going to make sure it was _him._

<Esplin… Please… You’re going to kill him.> I knew that the andalite before him attempted to take his life but this wasn’t right. 

But he ignored me and I could only watch in horror as the male’s guts began stringing from his stomach, drooling to the ground. It was when Esplin did that did he actually release the male. The male stumble into his haunches, eyes wide in horror as he gazed down at his stomach. Esplin swished his tail blade a few times before it flashed forward. 

I looked away just as the male’s head tumbled from his shoulders, hitting the ground with a dull thunk. I swayed a bit on my hooves as the scent of blood washed over me, making me ill. 

He really _did_ kill him! But… but… could I blame him? Could I blame my husband for defending himself? 

But did he have to kill him?  
  
What if he came back to try to kill him a second time?

What if we just got him arrested?

What if…

What if…

<Aldrea? Are you okay?> I felt a gentle hand on my cheek and my eyes snapped open. Esplin was standing in front of me, concern wrinkling his face.   
  
<Esplin…> I closed my eyes again, pulling away. <I->   
  
<It’s okay Aldrea… I understand.> He moved his body, blocking my sight. <I had to do it Aldrea, he was going to kill me.>   
  
<B-But… Couldn’t you have just…?> Realization finally settled upon me. My mate had killed an andalite. My mate…   
  
<Aldrea…> His gaze softens before he curled his arms around my midsection, pulling me close to his own body. The sharp smell of andalite blood hits my nose making me cringe. <I’m sorry you had to see that. I lost control for a moment… I just wasn’t myself at that moment. It was like the andalite took over and fought for me. He wanted him dead not me. Aldrea, please believe me!>   
  
<...> I pressed my nose firmly into his fur, breathing in his familiar scent, trying to drown out the scent of blood. <It’s alright Esplin, you did what you had to do. It’s not your fault.>   
  
I pulled away, grabbing his hands firmly in mine. <But you know this might cause trouble right?>   
  
<....> His gaze dimmed. <I know Aldrea…>

He looked back at the headless body behind himself before closing his eyes. He sucked in a breath for a few moments then opened his eyes back at me. <But they attacked me Aldrea, it shouldn’t be my fault.>

I squeezed his hands. <I know…>

Now that I was no longer panicked, I looked back over at the body wondering if we should report this or not. This clearly an attack on Esplin himself so it wasn’t going to be on him. Sermur would probably even excuse it considering the circumstances.

<Let’s just… get you home and into the pool to relax. I’ll report this myself.> I murmured soothingly to him. 

He lowered his ears, guilt clearly written on his face. <I should be->  
  
<No Esplin, you did enough. Just get some rest ok?> I knew that Esplin went in saying that he killed someone that might cause a bit of a stir. Esplin seemed to understand and dipped his head to me.   
  
I gave him a quick kiss before carefully leading him away, glaring back at the body for a moment. Why did they attack Esplin in the first place? What did Esplin do to make him so angry?

<Esplin… What did he say before he attacked you?> I asked, looking at my husband in the main eyes.   
  
Esplin wrinkled his nose as he lowered his head. He looked reluctant to say it but then he sucked in a breath before saying, 

<End to all of the filthy peacekeepers.>

* * *

 

<So you’re telling me one of our own attacked Visser One?> Sermur was pacing in front of me, his fur bristling along his shoulders while he kept glancing out the tent flap.

<Yes Sir. Esplin had killed him in defense.> I felt myself straighten up nervously once he snapped all four eyes to me. <I was there when it happened.>  
  
<Damn!> He slammed his tail against his desk, leaving a deep gash deep within the metal. I flinched at his childish act of aggression but didn’t move. <I thought we sent all of those kinds of andalites off planet. Who knew there would be more left!?>   
  
I narrowed my eyes suspiciously at him, wondering what he could mean by that. This was the first time I’m hearing about instigators amongst our people. What were they hiding from me and Esplin?

<Both of you-> He flicked his tail out of the table before looking pointedly at his guards. <Go fetch the body and make sure it gets returned to whatever family they have on Andal. Make sure his family knows of his dishonor as well.>

The two male guards lifted their tails in salute before quickly filing out of the tent. 

<Sir is there something I should know?> I took a few steps forward, leaning over his desk slightly. <Did something like this happen before?>

Sermur stiffened visibly before he wrinkled his nose, glaring. <Don’t worry it was dealt with a long time ago Aldrea.>  
  
<If it was dealt with then why did Esplin get attacked?> I placed my hands on the cool metal of the table, lifting a stalk up towards the older male.   
  
<It was a simple resurgence. Nothing else.> He glowered down at me, obviously becoming annoyed. 

<What happened?> I pressed, feeling like I was getting somewhere now.   
  
<Nothing you should be worried about female…> He paused for a moment before relaxing, letting out a small sigh. <It was just a small group of warriors that committed mutiny, that’s all. It was dealt with.>

I pulled away, knowing that I was supposed to accept that as an answer. But what if I pressed even more? Would he tell me? It sounded like he was hiding a bit more than he was talking about. No one would get so upset over a simple mutiny like that. Something big had happened. 

<Aldrea just go home to your husband. I’m sure he is in need of your presence.> He smiled down at me, making a motion with the back of his hand for me to leave. <Don’t worry, he won’t be charged for defending himself.>

I put on a fake smile, knowing he was trying to make me leave before I ask anything else. <Thank you Electorate Sermur. I’ll be sure to tell him myself.>

I started turning away but Sermur stopped me with a small stomp of his hoof. <Good-bye Aldrea.>

I flicked an ear at him and left silently. I was already thinking about how I could get my hands on more of this information on this ‘mutiny’. I’m sure Esplin might have a few ideas. He was working with Sermur far longer than I had.


	9. Chapter 9

I laid beside my husband’s pool, wondering if I should bother him at this moment. After all he could very well be resting. But I had to speak to him and I’m sure he wouldn’t mind me talking with him. Anyway, this question is going to keep eating at me until it drives me crazy. 

I leaned forward before carefully tapping the edge of his pool a few times. 

Normally I would’ve reached in there and dug him out, but now that I could he could feel vibrations it made things a lot easier. I don’t even have to stick my hand into the water!

I smiled as his head popped out of the water, making chirping sounds at me. He was trying to see me. I reached down into the water, opening my hand with my palm up just to allow him to squirm onto my hand. I then brought him to my cheek and shuddered as his cold, wet body pressed against me. I was never going to get used to that. 

<I’m glad you’re home.> Esplin’s pleased voice purred.

<Yes I am… but I have questions Esplin.> I refrained from flinching at my tone, wondering if he was going to read it the wrong way.

<Did something… happen while you saw Sermur?> He quietly asked me.

<He said some things that were rather interesting.> I gently brushed my finger along his back, feeling him tremble in response.    
  
<O-Oh?> 

<Do you remember any kind of mutiny happening? I mean… amongst my people?> I closed my eyes when he pressed his underside against my cheek. I opened my eyes again before rubbing him, eliciting a squeak out of him.

<No, I am sorry.> He said after he finished rubbing his face against me. At least that was enough to have him calmly reply. <I no nothing of any kind of trouble amongst your kind. The closest thing I could think of happened today.>

So they  _ were  _ hiding something weren’t they? If Esplin, the one who’s worked the longest with the andalites didn’t know, then something is up… right? I just hoped I wasn’t being too wary of Sermur. But still sometimes it’s best to make sure.

I sighed heavily. <Thank you.>

<I’ll let you know though if I remember anything though.> He quickly added. 

<It’s alright Esplin, don’t push yourself.> I said, starting to pull him away. But he threw himself against my cheek again, startling me.    
  
<W-Wait! J-Join me in my pool Aldrea, please.> 

I glanced at the pool then back at him, wondering how I was going to fit in that tiny thing.    
  
<Just morph a yeerk and come in.> He starts squirming away after that, letting me know to let him go. I blinked several times then gently slipped him back into the water.    
  
I stare at the water for a good few minutes then closed my eyes, preparing to morph. I gently scooted into the water a bit, curling my tail around myself as the changes started to happen. It took me nine minutes until I was completely blind and deaf, another two before I was a complete yeerk. 

It was unsettling not to have a tail blade but it was only made worse by being completely blind and deaf as well. I had to feel my way to the pool while dragging my dead weight body towards it. It was a bit tedious having to use my fins to literally drag my soft body. The yeerk was starting to panic from being outside the pool so long and I was starting to get annoyed. But once I fell down the ledge and into the water a sense of calm seemed to wash over me.    
  
I can deal with this. 

I rapidly fired a few shots of sonar taking in the sight of my mate’s own personal space. It was the first time that I had actually  _ seen  _ his home and to be honest… 

_ It was just as boring as I imagined.  _

Unlike the other yeerk pools, this was completely devoid of any kind of caves or scratchings. Probably because it was only Esplin living here anyway. 

I felt something bump up under me and I found myself laying against Esplin’s back again. 

<I found something in my pool while you were gone that wasn’t supposed to be here.> He swam for what felt to be a few feet then stopped. <Use your sonar here.>   
  
I clicked rapidly a few times and waited for the image to bounce back. What came back to me was rather surprising to say the least. It was a small, chip-like object. I couldn’t tell what it was from the shape alone from where I was but it could possibly be something off of his robot but I wouldn’t be able to say without taking it out.

<I would need to demorph. If that was it then why did you have me morph a yeerk?> I was a bit annoyed now. Why not just push it to the surface with his head instead of making me go through all of that effort? It certainly wasn’t that big right?

<....> He began pushing me towards the surface.    
  
<You just wanted me to morph a yeerk.> I concluded smugly.   
  
<S-Shut up!> He growled. 

Once I had demorphed again he pushed the chip up to the surface and I picked it up to examine it. It was a clear chip with a collection of odd green dots on it’s surface. I flipped it over a few times frowning as I wondered what it really was. This certainly wasn’t from Esplin’s robot, it was too fragile. I moved it up to the bio-light just above Esplin’s pool to see if there was any imprints on it showing which andalite had manufactured it. There was always some kind of image imprint showing the manufacturer but this one did not have one. How odd…   
  
<Esplin, I can’t tell you what this is. This isn’t something I’m familiar with.> I conceded defeat, knowing my technological knowledge wasn’t good enough to identify this. <I’m sorry.>   
  
There were a few rapid clicks in response to me but then he just dipped down again. I sighed at him, wondering if he was speaking to me in yeerk or just trying to look at me. I looked back down at the chip, wondering how it got into his pool in the first place. It couldn’t be from anything I owned, that was for sure. Maybe I should bring it to some warriors to see if they know anything.

Just as I start getting up, Esplin popped up from the water and dragged himself onto land. I frowned at him for doing that but carefully scooped him up with my free hand before pressing him against my cheek.    
  
<I found another piece in there but it’s buried in the dirt.> He quickly said.    
  
<Another piece? Like what does it look like?> I tipped a stalk at him curiously. 

<It seems to be just a shard. Not sharp at least.> 

<How is a shard of anything going to help?> I grumbled, not too pleased with the new piece of evidence he found. But evidence is evidence I guessed. <I’ll dig it up.>

Wrinkling my nose, I put him back into his pool before reaching into the water. I shivered as Esplin bumped his head into my hand and began to guide it in the water. Once my fingers brushed something that wasn’t mud or dirt, I dug my finger in until I could pull it up from the water. I slipped my hand out of the water again, shaking mud off of the dirty shard while glancing it over curiously.    
  
<Huh…> I flipped the light blue shard over in my hand a couple of times, surprised by how metallic it was despite it just being in the pool a few moments ago. I narrowed my eyes at it then looked at the chip in my other hand. I glanced between them wondering what they could possibly both be.

Still I could not figure it out, even with the new piece. 

<Esplin, it looks like I will be needing help.> I sighed, settling on my stomach. <I still don’t know what they are.>

Esplin’s head popped out of the water and he wiggled up onto the bank again. I carefully picked up him again before pressing his wet body against my cheek, waiting for him to speak. 

<Allow me to take them to a friend of mine. I’m sure they’ll be able to identify it. > Esplin offered.   
  
<How would a yeer->   
  
<I have andalite friends if you’d like to know.> He interrupted me. <Just place me into my robot and I shall be on my way.>

For a moment I wondered if I upset him. I couldn’t feel any annoyance coming from him so he was probably just stopping me from saying something rude I guess. So I got to my hooves and moved to his host robot that was sitting silently in the corner. I popped open the top before slipping him in. I then watched for a few moments while he reconnected with the interface and started up the robot.    
  
“ _ Alright then, give me them.”  _ He held out his hand, waiting patiently for me to drop them into his open palm. I placed them both carefully into his palm and he pulled away, turning his dome up. “ _ I’ll be back in an hour or so. Until then, do not go outside.” _

<Esplin if anyone attacks me I am sure I can defend myself.> I frowned at him. I had been training my body after all using the instruction holos Esplin had given me. I felt pretty confident about my ability to at least defend myself.    
  
“ _ You saw what happened Aldrea. Are you sure you would be able to defend yourself like that? _ ” Esplin looked up at me. “ _ Aldrea I understand you are strong but I can’t imagine you against a male like that. You could get killed.” _

I huffed at him quietly before looking away, arms crossed over my chest. I knew he was right in a way. If someone larger than me managed to overpower me with just sheer size then that would be it. I hated it but there wasn’t much I could do. 

<Just bring a guard with you. I don’t want to hear you’ve been killed.> I glanced back at him with a single stalk.    
  
“ _ Don’t worry, I’ll be back.”  _  He rolled up to me and pressed his freezing cold hand against my cheek. I flinched but I allowed him to kiss me. He slipped his hand off of my cheek after a moment and he rolled away.    
  
I settled back down onto my stomach listening to him leave before I let out a heavy sigh. Now what? I really can’t think of much to do while I waited for Esplin to return. Either that or I was anxious about what that chip was. Who would stick that into Esplin’s pool in the first place? It just was too odd.

I lowered my upper body to the ground, staring at the pool silently. I rested my head on my arms then closed my main eyes, trying to think. 

Perhaps it was some kind of sensor? That would mean someone was tracking his movements in the pool or whether or not he was in the pool. This would be considerably dangerous for him, especially if he was in the pool alone. There was no chance of him defending himself while he was in his week natural form. Why couldn’t he have been born an andalite? It would be far less worrying if he was.

I started as I realized that I was starting to doze off for a moment. How could I fall asleep at a time like this? Maybe I was just tired from the stress. Yeah that was probably it. 

I forced my eyes opened to just stare at the lead colored pool in front of me. I flicked my ears a few times as I noticed it was rippling. Curious I stuck my finger into the pool, noting that there seemed to be a current under the water. At first I was alarmed but then I reasoned it was a pump or something to filter the water. I remember Esplin having one installed because of stagnant water. 

I get to my hooves then shook my fur out then smoothed my chest fur with my hands. Maybe it was best to get my mind off of things and just watch something until he got back. Perhaps that old movie I acquired from one of the warriors. It was about some kind of romantic war plot. I don’t really find much interest in them but supposedly this was highly acclaimed. Perhaps that’s what I will do.

 

* * *

 

I awoke with a start when I felt something cold pressing against my shoulder. I sat up quickly as my tail lifts slightly in the threat posture. My mind was quick to wake up with my body and I looked at the robot beside me with a stalk, relaxing.    
  
<Esplin…> Did I fall asleep? Was that holo really that boring?

“ _ Aldrea, we need to move.”  _ Esplin quietly said as he motioned for me to get him.    
  
<Move? Move where?> I get to my hooves, fully awake. <What was the chip and sharp Esplin?>   
  
“ _ It was andalian made first of all but it did have some odd quirks to it that my friend couldn’t identify. He believes it might be SkritNa in origin with some andalian edits, but he couldn’t be sure.”  _ Esplin took my hand in his cold one, lightly squeezing it. “ _ But he did figure out what it did. It was supposed to detonate and spread out an electrical surge across the pool in order to kill. But it was broken somehow and now is non-functional.” _

I take a moment to process what he said while settling in front of him. I placed my hand over his then let out a sigh when I concluded I wasn’t too surprised by it. If someone attempted to kill him once then why wouldn’t they make sure he really was dead. How ever it got broken, I was glad for it. 

<I’m glad it was broken.> I placed my hand on his dome then got to my hooves again, stretching slightly. I really was. Once again I was struck with the feeling of sorrow at the thought of losing my husband. It was still odd to care about a yeerk like this. My feelings really were starting to change weren’t they?   
  
<Where are we going anyway?>   
  
“ _ Somewhere where no one can find us. I told both governmental officials within the pool area and Electorate Sermur along with Counselor Three agreed that it is best we are kept secretly somewhere.”  _

I frowned slightly at this but knew that this was probably for the best. Things were starting to get dangerous now. Two attempts on our lives was more than enough to warrant hiding for a bit. I just wondered where we were going to be placed.

<When are we going then?> I asked, noticing I had been silent for a few moments longer than I should’ve been.    
  
“ _ Now if possible.”  _ Esplin replied, rolling back away from me. “ _ There is a ship waiting for us at the embassy. They are taking us across the planet to a group of mountains until they can resolve this.” _

I hated the thought of being trapped up on the mountain as an andalite and even more so considering we might be enclosed by mountains all around us as well. But with a sigh I knew that would be the most protected spot either way. And we might actually have more privacy than before as well. 

I felt my face starting to burn as I thought of what that could mean as well. I would be alone with Esplin with no one else to interrupt us. And with his desire for morphing his andalite form more often that could mean disaster. But would it really be that bad though…?

No, no got to focus on what’s important.    
  
<Will they be moving my personal computer with us?> I asked, remembering that I probably will be needing it to do some research. I still needed to find information on that mutiny. There had to be some kind of mention of it somewhere. This move will certainly not help at all. Infact, it was convenient that it would happen so soon after I asked.

Maybe I was just being paranoid.

“ _ I can ask them.”  _ Esplin offered.

<Please.> I stepped past him, brushing against him as I do.

“ _ Ready to go then?”  _ He asked, backing up then rolling around to face me. 

<Yes I am.> 

Esplin rolled past me and left out of the scoop with me behind him.

<I must ask you something, Esplin.> I narrowed my nostrils as we stepped out into the dry air of the yeerk homeworld. 

“ _ Go ahead.”  _ He turned his dome slightly towards me to look at me. 

<Will you help me with finding information on this mutiny?> I brushed my tail across the ground a few times.    
  
“ _ Why does it interest you so much?”  _ Esplin asked curiously, wheels crunching on dry rock.

<Something is wrong Esplin. I can just feel it.> I turned my stalk down at him. <I want to know the truth.>   
  
“ _.... If it’ll make you happy I’ll ask a few of my fellow yeerks if they know anything. I have to return to the main pools anyway in a couple of days.”  _

That caught my attention.

<Why?>

Esplin turned his dome away from me and tapped his robot a couple of times. “ _ I need repairs on my robot soon. I had slipped a few days ago and broke off a piece of my arm _ .”

<How did you slip?> I felt a flash of worry for him.

“ _ I was rolling too fast down a hill.”  _ He replied sheepishly. 

<Tch.> I shook my stalks at him then looked forward with all four eyes. <Fool.>   
  
“.... _ Hehe, I know.”  _

The rest of the walk to the ship was rather silent. I was still trying to get used to the thought that we were moving so suddenly. Why did it take two attempts on our lives to make them even think of this in the first place? 

<Welcome the both of you.> Sermur was waiting for us beside the ship, smiling like a fool. <It’s good to see Aldrea came willingly.>   
  
<It’s better than being killed.> I replied rather sharply. Sermur looked at me surprised but then turned his attention towards Esplin, ignoring my reply. 

<We have a scoop and pool prepared for you up there.> There was a twinkle in his eyes that I did  _ not  _ like. <I hope you two will be comfortable.>   
  
“ _ Don’t worry, I’m sure we’ll get along well enough.”  _ Esplin dipped his dome. 

<As for you Aldrea-> He turned to me smiling an odd smile. <Do take good care of your husband, he’s been through a lot.>

I was tempted to tell him mind his own business but knowing how he was, I kept it to myself. I instead just dipped my head as the hatch to the ship slowly opened. Why wouldn't I be nice to my husband? I'm pretty sure the threat of being confined was hanging over my head and so far Esplin has be tolerable. 

<Good, Good. Now off with the both of you.> He motioned towards the ship with a stalk.   
  
I frowned at him one last time and then entered the ship with Esplin rolling by my side. But just as the hatch closes behind us, I could hear Sermur say,  
  
<Aldrea, I highly recommend you keep your eyes off of official business for now. Just enjoy yourselves.>

* * *

 

It was cramped and warm in our new scoop. The environmental adjusters had not been installed and the dry air rasped painfully in my throat. I could’ve said I was happy to be here but that was far from the truth. Being surrounded on all sides by mountainous walls of purple dirt and rocks while having only a small space to live in, it was irritating. At least my husband seemed to be doing well.    
  
“ _ This is rather cozy, don’t you agree?”  _ He rolled around to his own personal pool, peering in for a few moments. “ _ The pool is small but it works.” _

<I’m glad you’re happy.> I grumbled, kicking my curl into a hole in the corner before straightening it out. I gave one of the support pillows a few kicks to fluff it up before flopping down into my bed. If I knew we were going to be living in such a small space, even smaller than the lake scoop, then I would’ve said no. 

“ _ Don’t worry Aldrea, we are so high in the mountain it doesn’t rain here. Aren’t you glad?”  _ He rolled over to me then place a cold hand on my cheek. I flinched slightly but frowned at him. 

<Yeah… great…> More dry weather. 

“ _ How about I morph andalite and we can take a walk?”  _ Esplin offered. 

I lifted my head slightly at this, eyes lighting up. One good way of making me forget this is by seeing his handsome morph again. I was tempted to say forget the walk and just lay with me here. But that might be read as an invitation for something else. <That could certainly work!>

He rolled back away from me. I could tell he was smiling by the way he wiggled at the controls. “ _ I’ll be right back.” _

He rolled out of the scoop and outside. For about ten minutes, as long as it normally takes him to morph, I could hear flesh crawling crunching sounds outside. Then everything went silent a few moments later before Esplin stepped into the scoop. I hopped onto my hooves before walking to him, eyes glowing. The ruff around his neck ruffled slightly when I got close as he smiled warmly at me. 

<Excited?> He asked.

<Well, it’s always nice having someone who can keep up with me on a run.> I lied lightly, more happy to have a husband that was actually attractive. 

<I agree with you on that. My robot is rather slow.> 

He stiffened slightly as I brushed against his side, tail touching his once I passed him. I looked back at him with a stalk then grinned. <Let us run then. Maybe we might find a clearing on this mountain or some kind of open space… I hopped.>   
  
He was quick to jump to my side, pressing up against me while curling his tail over mine. For a brief moment I was afraid of someone outside seeing us being friendly like this but then I pushed that away, realizing that he was my husband. Maybe I should stop worrying about that and enjoy being with the only male to show me such affection.

I squeezed my tail tighter around his, smiling at bit more. He glanced down at me, nose turning a deeper shade from his light blue. We then walked out, tail in tail, and cantered off down the pass. I could tell we were being watched by several curious andalites but I did my best to ignore it. But one, the one with the silver eyes, was staring after us with an intense look. I bristled along my shoulders but focused myself on Esplin.   
  
Why was he always where I was? It's so odd. Maybe I just notice him more because of the silver eyes. Yeah... that's probably was it.  
  
<Aldrea?> 

My muscles started to strain as we slowed a bit down hill so we don’t skid our way down it. It was a bit painful but I beared it. 

<Yes Esplin?> I could feel his tail tightening around mine.   
  
<... It feels nice being treated like a proper mate by you.> His tail slide down until he hooked his blade with mine. <At first you hated me so much that you wouldn’t even let me touch you like this. But ever since I got my andalite morph it feels like we have gotten closer. I couldn’t imagine ever touching you like this back then.>   
  
I felt a moment of regret at his words. Not regret for falling for him but for him noticing that I was falling in love with him because he got an andalite morph. But how can I help myself? There was no male around here that would take a second glance at me. He was the only one who pays attention to me.

<Aldrea, don’t look like that.> He stopped me and slipped a hand on my cheek, sending tingles down my spine. <I’m just glad that you are finally becoming a proper wife. This is what I  _ dreamed  _ of since I was told I was going to marry you. I  _ love  _ you Aldrea. More than even my own people…>

I felt a moment of shock run through me at his words. More than his own kind? 

<If only I had been just born an andalite…> He sighed, pulling away. <If only…>   
  
<We would have never met if you had… we both know this.> I took his hand in mine then squeezed. His ruff bristled for a moment as a surprised look crossed his face. But a few moments later he smiled again.    
  
<I know… But I could wish. I could hope.> He place his hand over mine. <I love you Aldrea, more than you can ever know.>

For a moment I saw a possessive look cross his face as he squeezed my hand tighter, making me flinch at his unusual strength. He leaned in before pressing his flat nose against mine, breathing in deep as he stared at me with all four eyes. Another shiver runs through my spine while he began grinning like a child.    
  
<You are mine, now and forever. Only death will keep me away from you. Aldrea, I  _ love  _ you.>


	10. Chapter 10

There weren’t many answers to the question I had. I knew my interest had to turn obsession but I just had to figure this out. I just had to. I was on the precipice of discovery with the only thing blocking me was the andalian government themselves. All I knew was the names of the ones who had caused a disturbance during a meeting in the embassy and the possible ranked yeerks that were a part of the meeting. 

If only Esplin would just help me like he said. He refuses to let me meet with his people to ask questions. It wasn’t until I mentioned the ranks did he actually start acting like this.

<Esplin please!> I begged my mate as I followed him down the path to his new pool at the bottom of this mountain pass.

“ _Aldrea I can’t.”_ Esplin moved away from the tail I had placed on the back of his robot. “ _Please quit asking.”_

<What if I do something for you in return? Anything really as long as it is within reason.> I knew that bribing him was an awful move but I just needed to know. 

Esplin came to a stop and completely turned his dome towards me. I could see the yeerk at the controls lifting from them for a moment. He swam around his dome a few times before landing gently on his controls. For some reason I got the feeling of stress from him doing that.

“ _Damn it Aldrea, why must you… Aldrea I really don’t want to.”_ Esplin was rolling forward again. 

<Not even if I->

“ _Aldrea_ **_stop._ ** _”_ He pointed a finger at me. “ _End of discussion. Now find something else to obsess over.”_

I angled my ears back before stepping away. Damn it, another dead end it would seem. But why couldn’t he contact his fellow yeerks? Even more suspicious. <Don’t bother coming to bed tonight.>

With that I headed back up the hill, tail kinked over my back in annoyance. The one favor I ask him and he denys it. Well if he wants to be like that then he can stay out of my bed and my scoop for a few days. But as I get up to the scoop, I looked back at him, my anger fading. He was standing there with his dome still turned up towards me. For just a moment I felt guilty. But I shoved aside that guilt before slowly walking up to the scoop. 

As soon as I got inside, I cleared off my own personal desk and began searching through my notes. I needed contacts but how was I going to get any? I kept myself so isolated that I didn’t really have any friends except maybe… the silver eyed andalite! I pushed the on button for the screen and waited for it to boot. I typed in the physical description into the on world social network and waited for it to show up  Much to my delight his profile popped up and I was a little bit more than glad to give him a private message. But just as I finish my message to have him contact me I could hear my husband rolling in.

“ _Aldrea?”_

Damn!

I had to quickly finish the message and send it before my husband saw what I was doing. I had a feeling if he saw me still agonizing over this he may very well give me one of his famous lectures. 

“ _Aldrea, there you are.”_ He rolled into my section of the scoop. “ _Are you all right?”_

I flicked my ears back against my head before looking at the screen, realizing I still had the male’s profile still up. I switched the screen then looked back down at my husband.

<I am more or less fine.> I replied smoothly, smiling.

“ _Then why did you forbid me from sleeping with you?”_

<Because I was upset and I wasn’t thinking.> That was partially the truth. I do tend to have the nasty habit of saying things in the spur of the moment. <I’m sorry.>  
  
“ _.... I really wish you didn’t do that so often. Two nights ago you told me to leave your scoop after I refused to let you go back to our old scoop for some things.”_ He crossed his arms over his metal body. “ _I can’t really handle your mood swings Aldrea.”_

I held back then urge to tell him to ‘leave me then’ but instead just allowed my shoulders to slouch. <It’s just been stressful Esplin. We both have almost been killed and now were here in the middle of the moun->

“ _It’s alright Aldrea. It really is.”_ He slipped his hand into mine as he rolled up beside me. “ _We won’t be doing this forever. I’ll make sure of that.”_

I forced a small smile, pleased with myself that I managed to calm him so well. <Thank you.>

He rolled back. “ _I need to feed now Aldrea.”_

<Yes, yes I know. Go feed before you start starving. I don’t want to hear you go raving mad because you’re hungry.> I patted the side of his dome a few times. 

He turned his dome up towards me then rolled back before disappeared outside. I found myself smirking to myself as I returned back to looking at the screen. That was a little bit too easy.

I glanced back at my computer wondering if I should wait for the male to reply or just do something until he does. I lowered my ears wondering if I should’ve just followed Esplin to the pool. Then again I would risk having to wait until he left me alone again long enough to actually check my messages. 

But I didn’t actually have to wait. 

“ _I’ve been wondering when you’ll message me.”_

Now that was a bit ominous. He was waiting for me to contact him?

“ _I didn’t expect you to get back so fast. It was almost like you really were waiting for me.”_ I said back to him through the thought-speak to text. 

“ _Somewhat yes. You have gotten my interest Aldrea and that is good.”_

I leaned back onto my hindlegs very curious. 

“ _That is good, do you know why I contacted you then?”_

“ _Yes, of course. Not many people go looking into_ that _event.”_

_“What do you know?”_

_“I can’t say here since we are more than likely being monitored. But please meet me outside in an hour.”_

For a moment I felt slight unease at having to meet this male. But my need to figure this out won over my reason too easily. I knew I had to go through with this in order to sate my curiosity. 

“ _Very well then. Where shall we meet?”_

_“I’ll meet you at your scoop as soon as possible. Your husband is out correct?”_

_“Yes he is.”_

_“Good, good. No yeerk should know what I know.”_

I blinked at my screen, looking over those words again and again. Perplexed I started to ask him why but then stopped myself knowing he would refuse to say why. We would need to discuss this in private like he said. 

“ _Very well, I shall see you soon.”_

With that I stepped away from my computer and shut it off just in case my husband decided to take a look at it when he got home. 

I took a deep breath, knowing what I was doing could have been seen as potentially dangerous. I barely knew this male but yet here I was planning on meeting him still. What if he was another attacker? It was ludicrously foolish. But a little bit of excitement didn’t hurt anyone right? 

I spent my time waiting for him cleaning up the scoop a bit. I carefully folded my curl and placed it in the corner, picked up some things scattered across my desk, made sure the dirt floor wasn’t too scuffed. I also made sure that there weren’t any tears in the roof that could potentially need repairs later. But once all that was done I was left with just myself and time. So I stood at the flaps of my scoop waiting for the male to show up. But my patience was rewarded in the end and I caught sight of him heading up the path towards my scoop.  
  
<Good of you to show up.> After an hour and forty minutes. 

<E-Excuse me?> The male jerked, looking surprised. I was baffled by the male’s confusion until I got a good look at his face.  
  
<E-Esplin!> I felt a bit upset that he had shown up instead of the silver-eyed male. 

<Were you expecting someone else?> He tipped a stalk towards me as he stopped in front of me, tail high in the air.  
  
<N-No, I…>  
  
<Don’t lie to me Aldrea.> Esplin’s sternly told me. <Were you waiting for someone?>  
  
I angled my ears back as I blew a breath of air out of my nose. Great, he showed up far too early for my tastes. Wasn’t he supposed to be feeding for at least two hours?

<So you were waiting for someone.> Something alighted in Esplin’s eyes as he nostril’s flared. <Who?>

<It was a friend.> I replied smoothly, knowing that he was starting to become upset now. Did he suspect of me cheating on him or something?

<Who?> He pushed, stepping forward while his eyes searched my own as if they had the answer.  
  
<It was someone I often got intoxicated with.> I kept carefully calm just in case that might set him off. Now he was starting to get interesting. I haven’t seen him like this before. Getting protective was he?

<Tch, stop seeing them.> He walked around me. I could tell he had his eyes on my computer now probably thinking about searching it. Too bad he would have to have me turn it on. It was DNA locked. 

<You can’t tell me what to do Esplin.> I calmly stated as I walked after him. I took to his side before pressing against his body while curling my tail around his. <Esplin I need others to talk with sometimes.>

<Why? Why when you have _me? > _ He almost whined as he leaned into my side, tearing his gaze away from my computer.  
  
<I care about you very much but seeing the same person everyday gets stale. You are my one and only mate but you are not my only friend.>

He blinked down at me, gaze softening. <I want you to myself though.>  
  
<You have me to yourself, but I need friends.> I pushed gently, reaching up a hand to kiss him. He leaned into my kiss while narrowing his main eyes at me in a subdued smile. 

<I’m sorry.> He pulled away, tail tightening over mine. <I just…>

<Instincts?> I gently pressed my hips against his.  
  
<Yes… instincts.> He looked a bit embarrassed now. <The andalite sense my unease and thought that you were going off to another male. I’m sorry if I questioned your faithfulness.>  
  
<I will have to forgive you for now.> I sighed, playfully smiling. 

<Thank you.> He reached down and kissed me on the cheeks. I nuzzled against his palm, looking into those lovely adoring silver eyes. He then slipped his hands off of my cheeks.  
  
<So why are you back so early?> I sighed, glad I managed to defuse the situation. 

<I was worried about you.> He admitted, slipping from my side to examine my neat table. 

I shook my right stalk at him teasingly. <Nothing to be worried about.>

<Yes I can see that now.> He turned back to me with his fingers lightly plucking at his shoulder fur on his leg. I could feel his eyes wandering my body until they came to settle on my face again, eyes curling. <You look even more lovely today. Did you groom yourself differently?>

I twitched an ear at his question, wondering if he was already starting to pick up the early signals of my own _hushla_ or my heat. It was only another three weeks away which would be pushing it. Maybe I was just being too perverse, which would be odd. He could just be complimenting me.  
  
<No, same routine my husband.> 

<Are you sure?> He was eyeing me again. <You certainly look _ravishing. > _

<Hm?> I tipped a stalk at him. <You certainly are forward today.>

<Well how you said I was your one and only mate… well it just made me remember exactly how lovely you are. Even more so.> He placed a hand on his cheek, smirking. <I am very lucky to have such a beautiful wife.>

<And I am lucky to have a handsome husband such as you.> I started smiling for real this time. I couldn’t help but look him over for a moment, taking in the sight of him. He seemed to puff up at this. <With a just as handsome morph. >  
  
With that I turned away, tail flicking teasingly at him. That normally was a natural flirting signal for my species but I, once again, underestimated my mate’s ability to read social cues. He relied too much on instinct.  
  
I heard hoof steps behind me before his body pressed against mine. I felt his hands on my haunches, gripping them with a firmness that sent shivers down my spine. His breath was coming shuddering out of him while our stalks met eyes. My own wide with surprise at his boldness and his searching for my approval. He was desperate for my confirmation that he had read my body language right.  
  
<Aldrea, it hurts down there.> He whined softly as he continued to hold onto my haunches. 

<Yes, I believe I’ve heard that male arousal is considerably painful if not dealt with.> I forced myself into a state of mind where I wouldn’t completely show my distress. Once again he ignored what I said about not being ready.  
  
<Please help me deal with this.> His main eyes focused on my back while he squeezed my butt once again, sending shivers down my spine.  
  
<I-I…>  
  
<You what?> He was rubbing my side with his foreleg. Male andalites would do this to test a female’s readiness. If she moves away, he would back off. If she didn’t then the mating would proceed onward.

<I’ll help you, but you will not be mounting me.> I breathed out heavily. My mate was in pain and I could help him a bit. There were ways of helping a male ejaculate without actual penetration. It was considerably perverse by normal societal standards but my mate probably wouldn’t mind.

<How?> He didn’t let go.

I closed my eyes knowing that this next step would probably lead us both on a path that neither of us would be stepping off of anytime soon. 

<Turn around and put your hands on the table. Do not touch any part of my body of your own accord.> I instructed. <If you attempt to do anything to me I will stop.>  
  
Esplin’s eyes widened at me, almost as if he couldn’t believe I was telling him what to do. But then he slipped his hands off of my haunches before stepping to the table, his breath billowing out his nose. <Very well.>  
  
He shuffled around then stepped to my table, pressing his hands down onto it’s metal surface. My heart beat strangely kicked up at the sight of him actually listening to me. Following _my_ orders for once! Though my moment of triumph was interrupted by him looking back at me with an apprehensive look.

Seeing that he was waiting on me, I took my place behind him. Once I was close enough to lean my upper body on him, I was hit with the strong scent of his maleish arousal. He must’ve been producing _calpur_ fluids from his slit at an amazing rate. Just how aroused was he?

Now I wasn’t exactly naive to the ways of sexual reproduction. You hear things from other females and you learn them, commit them to memory. It is said that a female who can not please her husband is set to have a poor marriage of only child care and nothing more. That scared me quite a bit. I didn’t want to be seen as just a reproductive machine, I wanted to be seen as more. Now that I am older that was simply stupid. But the knowledge seemed to save me this time.

<Move your tail.> I told him, pressing my fingers onto the base of it. I could feel the fur raising against my fingers.  
  
He lowered his ears as he moved his tail off to the side. <What are you doing?>  
  
<I am simply getting you to ejaculate with my hands.> I replied smoothly, getting a fine look at his _vencular_ slit. It was already slick with his _calpur_ fluids, some of it already drying too. Was he anticipating this long before I started flirting with him? Did his _anger_ arouse him? That would be rather queer. 

<W-With your hands? But I thought->  
  
<Reproduction for the pleasure of it doesn’t need to involve inter-vaginal penetration.> I placed my palm against his warm slit. I began to slowly rub his sensitive slit in an attempt to coax his penis out.

<AH! AH!> Esplin suddenly stiffened, bucking slightly as he does. It doesn’t take him but a few seconds before his penis started to show from his slit. <ALDREA!>

I was expecting him to be sensitive, but I wasn’t expecting him to freak out like that. It actually startled me enough to take a step back away from him. I was expecting him to kick me but he settled down as soon as I pulled my hand away from his sheath. 

<Oh… Oh no… Aldrea… What was that?> He was leaning on his elbows, trying to catch his breath. <It just felt so shocking. Like every nerve in my lower body suddenly alighted with energy.>

<It’s pleasure Esplin. Sexual pleasure.> I soothed. Though I wondered if I should continue with pleasuring him.  
  
<Again, More.> He thrusted his hips back towards me, looking over his shoulder now. 

<Are you going to be ok?> I hesitantly placed my hands delicately on his haunches. 

<Yes… do it again please.> 

I nodded my stalks to him before slipping my hand on the exposed tip of his penis. I began rubbing again which earned me more of those startling cries. I listened to him as I continued to stroke him while his fluids stuck to my hand. 

Shlck shlck shlck

I began a steady rhythm as soon as his penis had emerged from his sheath. I was a bit amazed by his length over all. It was the perfect size for his body but he was a good few inches bigger than I. He could easily reach my womb if he so desired. If this had been a pairing on andal, then it would’ve been perfect considering a male who reaches deep is more fertile.

<Aldrea, oh! Ah!> Esplin’s hips moved on their own, thrusting against my moving hand in an instinctual attempt to breed. I smiled warmly at him feeling my own sexual desire starting to build from watching him enjoy himself. 

<Something… is… coming out.> Esplin gasped as his length began leaking warm pre-ejaculate fluids. I could feel it splatter against my knee every time I stroked him.

<You are going to ejaculate.> I purred.  
  
<Ejaculate? Fertilize? Breed?> He moaned, his back legs starting to shake slightly.  
  
<Yes, but you are not fertilizing anything but the ground. This is all for pleasure.> I could feel his pre-ejaculate starting to drool over my leg. He was getting closer and closer.  
  
<No Aldrea… I want to breed.> He had his cheek on his arm, eyes tightly closed. <Please…>  
  
<Maybe one day.> I grabbed the tip before twirling it around my finger, coaxing him to ejaculate.  
  
His whole body stiffened as his back arched and his hands balled into fists. His breath caught in his throat before he lifted his tail high over my head. Almost like a hose had been filled with water pressure until it sprayed out from the tip, ejaculate spreads across the floor. The light blue fluid stains the ground a deep pink as it mixed with the dirt. He cried his loved for me into my mind as he gave everything in his testicles to me.  
  
<T-That’s it.> I felt my face flush as I realized my own heightened sexual arousal. The absolutely _strong_ musky scent of his ejaculate hitting the air was making me dizzy and aroused. I found myself stroking him again but he cried out in more or less in pain than pleasure.  
  
<Sensitive! Stop!> He groaned, trembling. <Please.>  
  
<S-Sorry!> I stammered out, quickly moving my hands from his penis. 

I watched as his ejaculation slowly came to a crawling stop, only a few spurts every few seconds. Andalites certainly did have long periods of ejaculation. They had to.  
  
<Esplin?> I felt dizzy as I looked to my mate, closing my nostrils.  
  
<Ah… Ah… Oh…> I could tell he was trying to control himself now that he had finished. <Aldrea… Oh…>  
  
<I-I…> My arousal was starting to become painful as well. If I had known that my own sense of sexual arousal would be heightened so much I wouldn’t have done this. I felt like I was burning between my legs. Every nerve just crying out for some relief. But I couldn’t do it, I just couldn’t let myself. I had to hold back.  
  
<Aldrea? Are you okay?> He was turning to me, worried. Sweat glistened off of his blue fur as he blinked his bleary silver eyes. <You don’t look too well->  
  
<I need to go for a walk.> I was quickly turning away, realizing that I had seriously messed up. By doing him a favor I caused myself pain instead. I should’ve known that my body would react strongly to him. I was too close to being ready to get pregnant. <It’s alright.>  
  
<Should I come with you?> He was stepping towards me but I stopped him. 

<It’s alright, just clean up. I really am ok.> I smiled at him. <Don’t forget to demorph, love.>

<Yes… of course…> He wiped the sweat from his face. <I’ll see you soon.>  
  
<Yes of course.> I trotted out of the scoop, glad to breath the clearer rasping yeerk air for once. One more moment in that pheromone laden scoop and I would’ve lost it. How could I be so foolish as to think that I wouldn’t react?

<I’m sorry Esplin, but I can’t give into you just yet.> I muttered, stepping down the hill from my scoop slowly. <I don’t think I ever can to be honest.>  
  
I looked up and stopped just in time to make eye contact with the andalite I had been waiting before this all happened. I almost forgot.

<Are you ready to go?> He said, stepping towards my side.

My already heightened sense of smell was hit with the smell of sweat coming off the male’s body, causing me to sway slightly on my hooves. I was almost tempted to tell him to come back tomorrow but I knew this might be my last chance at information. So I nodded a stalk towards him. 

<Good, now follow me.> He started up a side trail away from the mountain pass. I stared after him for a moment, dizzy, then followed after him.

* * *

 

<So you wanted to know about the mutiny right?> The silver eyed warrior had stopped us on a cliff side. It was private enough for this. 

<Yes of course.> That trek up the mountain allowed me to clear my head a bit but I was still very acutely aware of the male’s scent. 

<Well it wasn’t a mutiny first of all, that was just a cover up.> He looked to the sky for a moment then looked back at me. <It was a rebellion against the andalite government by at least fifteen very angry warriors. They weren’t too happy that we were making peace with slugs that had killed their brethren. They were just angry enough to start going after the yeerks present during that day as well. They were disgraced and sent home as soon as possible.>  
  
I pricked my ears surprised by this news. So my feelings really were right about this. But why cover it up if it was an attack on the government. Wouldn’t they put it out there as an example as to what will happen?

<These might be just rumors, but I heard that a yeerk official may have gotten killed during the fight. That is probably why they had covered it up. It would be pretty bad for relations if one of the yeerk leaders were killed.> 

I narrowed my eyes at him then looked over the cliff at the valley below. I could spot my mate stepping out of the scoop, looking around. If he did know about this surely he wouldn’t be as nice to me as he was right now. There was no way he would trust my people after learning we covered up a possible murder of his people. I wanted to tell him but yet I knew it would be a horrible idea.

<So that’s it?> I returned my gaze back to my informant.  
  
<I have a few more leads for you if you’re really interested.> He smirked at me. 

<Yes… Yes I am.> I straightened up quite a bit. 

<Good, I’ll send you a list but in return you must do me some small favors.> He crossed his arms over his chest. <Nothing quite too big.>  
  
<What’s that?> I narrowed my eyes at him.  
  
<Your husband is an influential yeerk and I need him to get me a few things. Just a few guns and a ship.> 

<A ship? Why?>

<It's just in case your digging finds something. You might upset the _kafit_ nest if you continue to dig and all of that pecking I’d like to avoid.> 

I nodded my stalks slowly. <Yes… of course. I’ll talk with him.>  
  
That’s going to be tricky considering he will want to know why I would want it. I might have to divulge the truth to him. That is a whole new cylinder of secrets that was going to be hard to deal with. But maybe… just maybe he might come to trust me more if I do. This was going to be quite the toss up.

He was starting to leave now, walking around me to head back down the hill.  
  
<By the way, what is your name?> 

The male looked back at me then smile, silver eyes curling almost as warmly as Esplin’s. <Cranis-Kyellon-Akron.>

<Thank you Warrior Cranis.> I dipped my stalks to him.  
  
<No, thank you.> He left down the trail again, disappearing around the corner as he does.


	11. Chapter 11

Esplin has gotten rather affectionate the last few weeks… well ever since I had given him a taste of sexual pleasure. He simply would not leave me alone for much longer than an hour. He even refused to go down to the pool until I forced him to. He was really becoming nuisance. 

“ _ Aldrea?”  _

I looked up from my computer, closing the window I was typing in.

<Yes?> I asked, almost sighing as he pressed his cold robotic body against me. I shivered but I didn’t move away from him though I contemplated kicking him away. He was just being so very annoying. 

“ _ How about we go for a walk and spend some time alone?”  _

It wasn’t too hard to read his tone, he was trying to flirt with me. This was another new thing he did, he tried to get us alone as often as possible so he may attempt to woo me into allowing him to mount me. But with my ovulation but a week away I had to say no. Andalite sperm stays within the body for nearly two weeks. I can’t deal with getting pregnant now or ever really.

<As long as you do not attempt anything like last time.> I tipped a stalk at him. <Do I make myself clear?>

He rolled back away from me and gently touched my side. His cold fingers slowly trailed down to my hip and I gently pushed it away with a leg. 

“ _ Why don’t we try for a child?”  _ He turned his dome around to face me. “ _ Wouldn’t it be great? Not only will I be able to see my child being born but I get to watch him grow into an adult. That isn’t something any yeerk can say they’ll do.”  _

I shook a stalk at him then returned to typing my letter. We had this conversation at least four or five times. I had told him time and time again that I had no interest in producing offspring but he keeps pushing it. I had tried everything that I could think of to make him stop asking me but he simply wouldn’t listen. But I wasn’t about to be beaten down into becoming a breeding female for some yeerk. Even if he was my husband.    
  
<Wouldn’t you rather we enjoy mating instead of jumping straight to reproduction?> I sighed.    
  
“ _ Enjoy mating? Yes, but isn’t the point of it is to produce offspring?”  _

<In some circumstances, yes. But it can also be done for recreation. One doesn’t need to actually produce offspring to mate.> This subject was starting to become tiresome. 

“ _ Ah…”  _ He rolled back and then just left. Just like that, without a single word. It was pure heaven.

Now I can focus on my letter Cronis and hopefully my next lead as well. I was so close to uncovering the truth about what really happened that day. So far there wasn’t just a mutiny but actually a full on rebellion. My people had slaughtered nearly a pool full of yeerks but someone important was in that pool as well. So far my research had brought me to the conclusion that it was a yeerk visser which would be troublesome for my people. If one of those filths actually killed a yeerk visser then it was only a matter of time until the yeerks retaliated. So they  _ had  _ to cover it up.    
  
I flicked my ears back when I started to hear rustling outside of our scoop. I turned a stalk around to see what it was but there was nothing. I kept my stalk on the scoop entrance while I typed in a few things into the box before sending it. I then pushed away from the computer terminal before turning it off with a small sigh. Now what was I going to do for the rest of the day? There wasn’t much to do on top of a mountain.

<Aldrea.> 

I stiffened at my husband’s thought-speak voice. 

<Come out here now.> 

Ah, he didn’t sound too happy. I wonder why?   
  
<What is it now?> I walked out of my scoop, straightening myself in preparation for what he was about to do. 

Esplin was standing in front of his robotic body with his arms crossed over his broad chest. His thick tail curled over his back while he looked at me from head to toe, nostrils flaring. I could practically feel his gaze hungrily absorbing my body while he started to slowly smile. He lifted his blade before slowly walking towards me. Something about his posture and manner struck me as a little bit too odd. 

<What is it you want?> I leaned back onto my hindlegs, giving off a total air of confidence as he continued to look over my body ravenously. 

<You really are close to ovulation. My instincts are going wild!> He takes a step towards me but I stop him with my tail, flaring my nostrils in warning. 

<Control yourself then Esplin. I have no interest in bearing offspring and you know this. If I continue to have to repeat myself then I will be forced to separate us until my ovulation period has passed.> I lowered my ears as he placed a hand on my tail.   
  
<But I want **you**.> His ears flicked back and forth as he gazed down at me. 

<Are you a yeerk or a beast?> I snapped, slapping his hand away.

<.....> He tipped his head to the side. <I am a yeerk of course.>

<Then act like it! Yeerks aren’t supposed to be inherently sexual beings anyway!> I yelled at him, bristling now. <Act like your own species or get out of my fur! I’m tired of your sexual advances you utter fool! I  _ don’t  _ want to mate with you and I  _ don’t  _ want your children. Now or ever! Get it into your head that I will not mate with you!>   
  
His expression turned pitiful while he lowered his tail to the ground. <That’s the whole reason why I wanted to mate with you. Not once will a yeerk ever get the chance to not only enjoy themselves during mating but also be able to see their offspring. I want to have offspring with you  _ because  _ I want to raise them with you. I want to take this chance that no other will have in their lifetimes. I want a  _ family  _ Aldrea.>   
  
I wrinkled my nose before looking away. My did my chest tighten so much at the way he spoke? Why was it so endearing to hear him talk about starting a family with me like that? I knew that I didn’t want to have children with him. I didn’t want to subject any of my offspring to having mismatched parents. But yet… would it be so bad if I do have one? Wouldn’t me and Esplin be enough for them? He sounds like he really would be a dedicated father… Well again he  _ sounds  _ like he would be. 

<I can tell you are conflicted.> 

I stepped away quickly, startled by him suddenly getting close to me. I glared at him for a moment then looked away with a huff.    
  
<You are quite passionate when you want to be.>

He smiled. 

<What I say is true. I want to have a child with you and raise it alongside you. It’s not normal for a male andalite. But I am  _ not  _ a male andalite Aldrea, I  _ will  _ take care of our child.> 

I narrowed my eyes at him. I felt my hearts thumping in my chest furiously and I felt sort of shakey. His words were certainly having an effect on me.

<I…> I really did feel conflicted. Whether it was the hormones or just me, I couldn’t tell. Maybe it was best I do this. <Esplin, I just don’t know. What if our child is…>   
  
Esplin’s warm hands slipped onto my cheeks causing them to tingle. I could feel a warm, gentle feeling spreading through my body as he gently rubbed my cheeks. <Our child will be loved. I can promise you that much.>

I nuzzled into his hand for a moment then pulled away. <Just->

<Ah there you two are!>

We both stepped back away from one another, those tender feelings quickly disappearing as we were interrupted by Sermur himself. 

<Sorry, was I interrupting something?> He smiled at the both of us, placing his hands together as he does. He damn well knew he was.

<No, don’t worry we’ll continue our discussion later.> Esplin said, stepping away from me fixing his face in a smile. <Is there something we can help you with?>   
  
<Actually, I am here for Aldrea.> Sermur looked at me directly, causing a shiver to run down my tail. <Aldrea, if you don’t mind.>

I stared at him with suspicion as I followed behind him back down. I glanced back at my mate only to catch him looking sadly after me. I looked back towards Sermur, a little bit angry he would interrupt us during such an important conversation. What in the three stars did he want now?

<So how have you two been getting along?> Sermur asked casually while we walked towards Esplin’s pool. 

<Well enough.> I answered him as stiffly as I possibly could. I hated talking to this andalite, I really did. 

<Good, good. Any plans on offspring soon? Or perhaps you are already expecting?> He turned a stalk around to look at my face, smirking. I flicked my ears back, nostrils flaring slightly at him. 

Well we were talking about that until you interrupted us. At least that’s what I wanted to say.

<Why does it matter to you?> I asked a little less than mildly. 

<Because it is important you do start a family with him Aldrea.> He replied, keeping his tone as light as possible. <Once we have blood shared between him and you then things may become a little bit more quiet. What better way to show the yeerks we are willing to accept them if we allow one of our precious females to raise one of their Visser’s offspring?>   
  
<It won’t be his DNA though.> I pointed out, mildly irritated now. Why did everyone have to care about what I was planning on doing with my reproductive organs? If I don’t want to use them, then leave me be! 

<It’s the thought that counts.> He stopped in front of a ship parked beside Esplin’s pool. <But really, if you don’t hurry up and start having children then I might have to do something.>

<Is… Is that a threat?> I was mildly surprised if not majorly annoyed. <Are you threatening to do something to me if I don’t reproduce?>

<Don’t put it so harshly Aldrea. All I am asking is for you to have a single child with him, that’s it.> 

Sermur was starting to cross that line now. First sticking his nose into our family planning then threatening me if I don’t have a child? There had to be something else going on here. No way anyone would push so hard for me to have children with a yeerk. What in the three stars was he planning?

<Tell me the truth.>   
  
He stopped a foot from the ramp, ears pricking as he turned to me.    
  
<The truth?> He echoed.

<Yes, why do you  _ really  _ want me to have children?> I took a few steps towards him, tail twitching across the ground. 

<Aldrea,> He stepped towards me and leaned down slightly so that he was level to my own face. <You ask far too many questions. So just be a good little female and just do as you’re told, okay?>

I didn’t even think I… I…  just reacted. Just the way he spoke to me, how he told me to be a ‘good little female’ made something snap.    
  
My tail lashed out and caught Sermur across the head with the flat of my blade with a sickening crack. He stumbled before sprawling onto his side, blood oozing from where my blade had nicked him on the stalk. He stared up at me, shock clearly written on his face. I stared down at him in both shock at my own reaction and shock that he had been knocked over so easily. 

I began stepping away from him as several warriors came running out of the ship to aid Sermur. Just as one of them started to approach me I turned and ran back up the hill where I knew Esplin had to be waiting. My mind was still spinning with confusion.

What had I done?

<Aldrea? Aldrea what’s wrong?>   
  
I was greeted by the sight of my mate half-way through morphing back into a yeerk. But I didn’t care or hesitate to throw myself at him. His soft, rubbery arms that were already losing their hands, wrapped around me as I wrapped my own around his body. I held myself there for a few moments longer then let go, eyes looking up into his oddly dimmed ones. 

<Esplin, I just did something bad.> I confessed, pulling myself away as I looked behind myself with a stalk. 

He settled in front of me, morphing back into an andalite. Worry was etched across his face while he placed a hand over my own. <What happened?>   
  
I quickly told him about the conversation with Sermur and… what happened after. His face softened before he brushed his knuckles across my cheeks. He began to smile before he pulled me into his chest. I relaxed against him, burying my nose into his warm fur as I do.    
  
<He deserved it Aldrea.> Esplin said quietly, letting me go. <He really did. How dare he tell you that? You are more than just some… some…>   
  
<Breeder?> I finished for him, relaxing. 

<Yes! You are Aldrea-Iskillion-Falan, the strongest female I know! How dare he talk to you like that!> Esplin spat as he thumped his tail against the ground. <If it wouldn’t cause problems, I would give him a good thumping myself!>

I began to smile at my husbands indignant rage. It was nice having someone on my side for once, even if it was a yeerk.

<Found her!> 

Esplin and I hopped onto our hooves just as a pair of soldiers came cantering up to our home. Behind them was Electorate Sermur was limping along, eyes glowing with hatred unseen from him before. I had clearly made him quite angry it would seem.    
  
<YOU FOOLISH FEMALE, HOW DARE YOU STRIKE ME?!> Sermur pushed past the two warriors just as they came to a stop in front of us. He was stopped by Esplin stepping in front of me, tail raising above his head in warning.    
  
<And how dare you treat my wife as just some… walking womb?> Esplin said in a very controlled manner. I could tell that he was moments from absolutely verbally tearing apart Sermur. 

Sermur quickly took a step back from Esplin, his face flickering from startled to confused. <E-Excuse me?>

<You do not talk to my wife like she is a female made to be ordered around and carry offspring on your command. If I ever hear you speak to her like you had before then I will personally thump you across the head myself.> 

I felt pride at Esplin standing up for me and even more so, pleasure at Sermur’s confused but horrified expression. In Esplin’s current form he stood a good five inches above Sermur and his bulk was especially intimidating now that he was using it in a threatening manner. 

<A-Are y-you really t-t-threatening me?> Sermur stammered.

<Yes, if you continue to treat my wife as you had.> Esplin shook his stalks at Sermur. <Please just do not treat my wife like that.>   
  
<I-I… Uh…> 

<Please leave now, you are quite done here.> Esplin made a dismissive motion with his tail. 

<Are you ordering me->  
  
<Leave, _now_.> Esplin took a step forward and Sermur took a step back, stunned. 

Quickly, the old male turned and trotted down the hill with his pair of confused but amused warriors. They disappeared around the bend with a very distraught and confused Sermur. I had to wonder if Esplin threatening him was a good idea for andalite-yeerk relations. 

* * *

 

<You were great!> I pressed against his side with a smile after we both knew they were gone. Their ship was already disappearing into the distance which meant we were all alone again. That made me both happy and nervous to be honest.

Esplin jerked up straight then glanced down at me, eyes curling into a nervous smile. <I just couldn’t let him treat you like that.>

I placed my hands on his cheeks before pulling his head down just enough to push my nose against his in a 'thank you' kiss. Our breaths mingled together as we both started nuzzling one another. He shuddered under my fingers while I curled them just enough to rub his ears while we shared our breaths. His right hand grabs the side of my face and he began rubbing my ear as well. 

<I love you Aldrea. You have no idea how much my heart aches for you.>

<I…> I smiled slightly as I try to pull away to catch my breath but he held me still against him. <I believe I love you as well.>

Finally he pulled apart from me as soon as I said that and he wrapped his arms around me, sending shivers of delight down my spine as well. We brought our faces in close again, sharing our breaths just as before which made me heavy lidded. 

<Aldrea?> Esplin twisted his head slightly to the side as he mashed nose against mine then rubbed his cheek against my own. <Do you want to? I’m… erect. All of this excitement has gotten me->

<Erect?> I echoed, dizzy. <As in you wish to mate? But I’m going to ovulate soon. What if I get pregnant?>

How could he  _ still  _ have sex on the mind after what happened? I really was starting to think he gets aroused by anger.   
  
<Is that such a bad thing?> He asked, pulling away so that I can catch my breath again. 

<We had this conversation before hadn’t we?> I rested my arms around his shoulders. <Anyway, shouldn’t you be demorphing soon?>   
  
<I reset my clock after demorphing.> Esplin was already squirming, his back legs shifting to accommodate his growing erection. <Please?>

<No, we must wait.> I pulled away now that I was coming to. Damn hormones. <I don’t want children.>   
  
<Please! Aldrea, we won’t get another chance for a year!> He whined. 

<Then that’s fine, we’ll have a year to plan.> I was backing up but he kept stepping forward, trying to grab me again. <Why are you so intent on having children anyway? A few months ago you didn’t even mention it.>

<That was until you started loving me back! I thought we were ready!>

<Well I’m not ready and I’m going to say it again. Stop asking.> Now I was huffing with annoyance. 

<Please->

<Stop.> 

I shook my stalks at him just as he grabbed my arm, holding on as tight as he could. He then grabbed the back of my head, mashing his nose against mine. He began breath-kissing me again while he kissed my cheek with the hand that had my arm. I knew he was doing this to get me in the mood as well and by the stars, it was working. My body was already reacting to his touch and smell while my loins dripped with sexual fluids.    
  
<What if we prove Sermur right?> I finally gave in, leaning into his touch.    
  
<Andalite pregnancies don’t always take right?> Esplin murmured, his fingers intertwining with my own. 

<Sixty-five percent chance of implantation. That’s why we ovulate twice per season.> I had already ovulated four weeks before which meant this was the last one.    
  
<Let’s take that chance. Please.> He pulled away, gasping for air. <Please, I want you so badly.>   
  
It was going to be impossible to deter him from trying to mate with me wasn’t it? Why was this damn yeerk so persistent? Why couldn’t be like the other yeerks and just prefer to keep his distance? Why?

Why did he have to love me?

<...> Was I a beast or an andalite? I  _ hated _ being female sometimes. These damn hormones and these damn males. Damn it all. I hate feeling conflicted so much!

<Don’t let our chance slip away Aldrea.> I could feel his breath stirring my ear fur. <Let me start our  _ family _ .>


	12. Chapter 12

I stood there, shivering against Esplin as he held me close eyes narrowed into a smile while he played with one of my ears. His fingers trailed along the shell before slipping under my chin. Though it was unpracticed and unsteady, it felt amazing to be touched in such a way. 

<Esplin…> I grabbed his hand in mine, drawing breath while turning my primary eyes towards the ground. <You understand the implications of reproduction. What it really means… right?>

<Of course. Why?> He pulled his hand away, tipping his head curiously at me. 

<Then why do you push so much? Why?> I knew the answer but I couldn’t help but ask in an attempt to slow things down. This was getting to be too much at this point. 

He just smiled at me as he walked around me, tail lifting as he does. He caught my tail in his own before pulling my tail off to the side. Cool air hits my moistened loins as I shivered with tension as he kept his eyes on my own. I found myself unable to tear my gaze away from his. Even as he stroked my side with his leg, I just couldn’t move. We both wanted this, I couldn’t lie to myself any longer. My body and instincts wanted him even if my rational side said no. 

I sucked in a nervous breath knowing that any moment he would mount me. 

There was a moment of silence before he reared back, resting his soft stomach on my back while squirming forward until he was in place. I could feel him flexing his penis between my legs while his fingers threaded through the fur between my shoulders eliciting a small moan from me as my tender, sensitive flesh was kneaded. 

<Ah…> 

He stopped and just rested against me, keeping his warm _chathu_ against my vaginal opening. I felt a moment of annoyance at him just resting nearly all of his massive weight on me, making my legs shake. If only he hadn’t chosen such a large morph I might have been able to actually stand for a little bit longer. 

<Aldrea?> Esplin’s warm breath billowed against the back of my head while he wrapped his arms around me. 

<Yes?> I stiffened my legs slightly so I could hold him up better. He better get this done quick before I come tumbling down to the ground under his massive weight. 

<What do I do next?>

My arousal came to a screeching halt at his question and in it’s place amusement was bubbling up. Never, not even once, did I expect him to ask _that_ after getting this far. I knew he would be clumsy but not to know that he needed to penetrate me… well that certainly threw me off.

<Aren’t you following your instincts?> I chuckled, quick to snatch back control. I began to grind teasingly up against his penis, making him shudder and snort above me. 

<A-Ah! Penetrate your vaginal opening and ejaculate is what it’s telling me.> He dug his fingers into my fur while pulling away, ears laying against his head. <S-Stop that!>

<Get down.> I gently bucked him off, relieved that the tension was finally over. <It’s obvious you can’t take- Hey!>

He had mounted me again, puffing angrily at me as he does. <If you want me to take control then I will!>

<That is not what I->

I let out a snort as he suddenly shoved himself into me. I tipped my head back once my walls were spread wide by this new intruder, soaking them with his _calpur_ fluids. My back legs trembled while I shifted around, lowering my ears while I gazed at his face. His eyes were focused on mine, ears laid back against his head while his nostrils flared.

There was an odd turning feeling deep within my lower body while he backed up, drawing his shaft out. My brain nearly turned to mush as he thrusted back in, every inch of his shaft entering my body in one quick movement. Splatters of my own fluids dribbled to the ground in strings when he drew out again. 

<E-Esplin?> I gasped as he leaned over me, thrusting steadily into me over and over. 

He did not respond to me, only snorted again. His tail tightens over mine, gaining control over my own tail while he buried his face into neck. His warm breath billowed against my neck in time to his thrusts, our genitals a messy splattering of fluids. 

I closed my eyes tightly while he drew out his shaft all the way then pumped upwards into me, driving his shaft against my cervix. The feeling alone caused my mind to go blank. I could hear his rutting snorts as he started picking up the pace.   
  
Fingers dug into my flesh, drawing out a long moan from me as they pressed against my sensitive body. I slowly thrusted against him over and over again, our minds slowly teasing our feelings to one another while we mated. I could feel his more primal mind swallowing his rational side, his yeerk side. I could feel his strong need to breed me, the scent of me on his nose, and the feeling of adoration coming from him as well. 

<I love you.> He muttered, his breath warming my ear. I tipped my head to the side, allowing him to nuzzle my throat. I sent out a wave of delight towards him as my eyes closed.

<I love you too.> I quietly replied back, fingers digging into the palms of my own hand. I felt him shudder above me as a wave of happiness comes over my mind from his.   
  
His thrusts quickly grew uneven and before I could catch my breath for that last thrust, stars burst across my vision as his and my orgasm melted into a cascade of pleasure. I collapsed onto my front knees, hands slamming on the ground. The gentle pressure of his semen flooding my womb was the only thing I could focus on as he joined me on the ground, forcing me to bear his weight. 

Finally he pulled himself from me, strings of our mixed fluids dripping together across my shaking legs. Esplin got up and paced around beside me for a few moments then breathed in, main eyes focused on mine. My stalk eyes flickered between his legs where his penis was retracting back into his body. I then looked back up at him, shakily getting to my hooves. 

I swiped my tail at him and he caught it in his own, smiling a bit now. 

<Bastard.> I snapped.

<You enjoyed it too at least?> He smugly asked.

<Tch…> I ruffled the fur around my shoulders before shaking my legs one by one. 

Esplin sent a little wave of delight towards me as he pressed his body against mine. <It was fantastic Aldrea! The feeling in of itself is indescribable! Nothing I could do in my original body could _compare_ to an orgasm! Thank you Aldrea.>

Well at least he was happy and I admit… I enjoyed it quite a bit too. It was just as pleasant as the other females had said it would be. Not a rough overwhelming feeling, but one that pleased your senses. 

He nuzzled against my ear before slipping behind me as I got up, now feeling rested. He reared back, mounting me again with a grin on his face. <But once won’t satisfy this body!>  
  
<Again?> I groaned, wondering if my body could even hold him up at this point. 

<Again~>

 

* * *

 

I stood under the waterfall of my bath scoop, letting the water wash away the grime and stickiness from earlier. Now that my husband was off gallivanting on whatever job the counsel gave him, I was free to do as I pleased.

I gently rubbed my stomach for a moment, wondering if he actually did get me pregnant. But then I pushed that thought away, not really in the mood for that. I just wanted to get clean and take a nice long run, probably to the nearest ship. 

Who knew what Esplin would do now that we no longer had boundaries. If he could mate three times in a row, how many times he could do that in a single _day?_ I just need to get away. 

<Where should I go then?>

The image of the vast lake pool flashed in my mind and I straightened up. Perhaps I should go there? But why? Why would I need to go far away?

There was a couple of splashes just on the other side of the pool and I twitched a stalk as I noticed an empty robot at the end of my pool. How didn’t I hear that come in?  
  
I shook out my mane then stepped away from the waterfall, tipping my head. Suddenly the water parted and I bumped my hindquarters against the back of the waterfall. I sucked in a breath as Esplin rose almost mythically out of the water, wiping his mane out of his face.   
  
<I’m back.> He said as he stepped towards me, water sloshing around his legs.  

<S-So soon?> It’s only been an hour!

<I couldn’t keep away from you for long Aldrea.> His eyes glowed with delight as he stepped in front of me. He then leaned down, pressing his nose into my ear before breathing in. <It gets so lonely… If only I was an andalite all the time then… you would have felt it.>  
<We might have bonded but that doesn’t mean it’s _that_ strong.> I shivered at his warm breath billowing against my ear. <Really…>

<Turn around.> He pulled away.  
  
<What makes you think I would follow your orders?> I snipped though I got slightly excited by how husky his voice was when he said that. 

<We both know you want this. Just turn around.> 

I hated it when he pointed out the obvious like that. How annoying he was sometimes. 

<Very well.>

I stepped out of the waterfall, guiding him away from it. I then turned away before flicking my tail back over my haunches while looking back at him with a frown plastered on my face. He reared back with a loud splash and then rested his front on top of me. Once again I felt like he was putting too much weight on me again.   
  
<Can you at least look at me when I mate with you?> He rests his chin on my shoulder, wrapping his tail over mine.   
  
<...> I looked away from him.

<Aldrea, I’ll dismount if you don’t like this.> He runs his fingers over my ear slowly making me shudder. <I don’t want you to hate doing this.>

I tightened my own tail around his while letting out an amused snort. <I would enjoy it more if you didn’t put all of your weight on me.>

<Oh...? That’s right I’m supposed to be putting it on my back legs!>

He mercifully shifted his weight to his back legs and I couldn’t help the sigh of relief that left me. We both nuzzled against one another before he shifted slightly to get into position. I held my breath as he thrusted into me, filling me.  
  
This time around it wasn’t hard to keep up with him and his nearly boundless energy. I had to wonder how this yeerk developed such a large sexual appetite. Maybe it was just his morph or maybe he was just like that before he got his morph, just interested in the feelings of his morph. But he did manage to stop himself at two times this time instead of pushing me to go three times. 

So as he left the bath with a kiss and a promise to return again tonight, I was left hanging onto the side of the bath with his semen dripping out of me and into the water. I rested my cheek onto my arm thinking about whether I should tell him no next time so that I don’t have to keep cleaning up his mess…  
  
He was certainly in a hurry to leave so soon after mating me. Maybe he had just taken a break to just mate with me again. That didn't sound quite right in my own head but that's what it felt like. I was even wondering if he was even leaving at all and just not hanging around the area until he felt like returning again. After all, weren't we supposed to be staying here and going nowhere else?

I blinked my eyes slowly, wondering if I should just get out of the bath at all or sleep here. But I knew I needed to do something today so I pulled myself out of the water with a huff. More of his semen split out of me, watery now that water was mixing with it. I thanked the stars that there was a filtration pump in this damn pond. 

Once I was dried off and somewhat clean, I set off down the path to the right of our camp that led down to the base of the mountain. My muscles ache slightly as I continue my way down but it was good exercise anyway. I was sticking around the scoop too much so I knew I must've been getting soft again.

I paused to look across the desolate land of the yeerk homeworld, a thought still lingering in my mind. I was still wondering if I should go back to that lake again. Something was telling me that if I go there, some questions might be answered. But then I remembered I couldn’t speak yeerk at this point so there was no reason to do so anyway.   
  
<Maybe I should have Esplin teach me…> I thought aloud as I gazed up at the sky, almost hoping for an answer. Esplin would probably be happy to teach me anyway. He seemed eager to do many things with me in fact.   
  
Yes, yes, I should have Esplin teach me how to ‘speak’ yeerk. I wondered how long it was going to take me to learn though? I really hoped that it won’t take me no more than a year or such because well… I am not a very patient andalite. 

I turned back half-way through a valley and headed back up to the mountain, tail raised high. Hopefully he doesn’t ask why I wished to learn his people’s language. I didn’t want to have to explain that I wanted to learn because I wanted to go to the lake to see if anyone knew of the slaughter so many months ago.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm moving the plot forward the next chapter so get ready for more action!


	13. Chapter 13

The next week after those encounters I found myself in an almost dream-like state. 

Esplin and I’s relationship had become quite close. I found myself following him around from place to place, a permanent fixture in his life now. He didn’t seem to mind me following around, he even seemed to enjoy it. I enjoyed it too to be honest. It felt nice to be close to someone after so long of being apart from others. I had even gotten to the point where I had forgotten about the conspiracy nearly completely.

It was a fine, quiet morning and I sat in the main room of our scoop carefully cleaning the old shredder Esplin had given me. As I picked out the remaining residue from the barrel with a small pick, I noticed from the corner of one of my eyes Esplin rolling into the room with some papers in hand,not acknowledging me like he normally does. This drew my attention away from my work and I placed my weapon down before turning to him.  
  
<Hello.> I said as I moved to his side, pressing against him with my flank.  
  
“ _Good Morning.”_ Esplin greeted back politely.  
  
<Something wrong?>  I peering at the documents in his hands. I only got a mere glimpse when he pulled them away, but they looked to be medical documents.

“ _Why haven't you gone to the doctor yet?”_ Esplin asked as he folded up the thin screens and neatly stored them away into a table top container.  
  
I jerked back, dumbfounded by his question. But it made sense as to why he would ask such a thing. But really, I wasn’t quite ready to see if I really was carrying something or if he failed to impregnate me.  
  
<It slipped my mind.> I replied simply as he brushed his fingers along my arm.The cold metal made me shiver slightly.

“ _Well lucky for you, I remembered. I have set up an appointment tomorrow.”_ Esplin’s cold hand wrapped around my upper arm and my shivering was visible to him now. But I managed a curt thank you before pulling my arm away, rubbing the spot where he touched vigorously to warm it up.  
  
“ _Am I still that cold to you?_ ” He asked as he walked to his own desk and started to dig through some of the bins he hung off the sides. 

<Quite… I thought you had something added to warm yourself up.> I curiously tipped a stalk towards him. 

“ _I wish…”_ He fished out his own personal tablet. “ _But sadly, I had not.”_

 _ < _ ...> Then why was he warm those few times?  
  
“ _What?”_ He asked.

<A-Ah, nothing.> I smile a bit before quickly returning to my desk once more. <Nothing at all.>  
  
There was silence after that as we both worked on our respective projects. I could hear his robotic arms occasionally whirring as he moved his metal finger across the tough tablet screen. I even found myself looking at him for a few moments longer than normal whenever the tapping became more rapid. It wasn’t until he finally said something that I felt relief. I really didn’t like the silence much.  
  
“ _I am heading down to the lake again.”_  
  
<Ah, really? Do you mind if I come?>  
  
“ _Actually I was hoping you would ask. This would be the perfect time for you to actually learn our language instead of that pseudo yeerk language I had been teaching you.”_ _  
_ _  
_ <Alright then, how long do you plan on staying?> I turned a stalk towards him. 

“ _A month.”_ He replied after a few moments of silence.  
  
<They are allowing that?> I was surprised by his answer. So far we have been staying up here just for protection. Why would they rescind that so soon after?  
  
“ _Yes.”_ He said nothing more as he sets down his tablet. He slipped it back into the bin under his desk before slowly rolling back. I could see that he was up to something and that something was being kept a secret from me.  
  
I decided to put my things down and stow them away before turning my full attention onto my mate. I walked around until I blocked his path to his room and curled my tail forward until I wrapped it around his body.  
  
<Is there something wrong?> I asked quietly, trying to act like the concerned wife instead of the normally demanding female I was.  
  
“ _I have a lot of things on my mind today. Don’t worry about it.”_ He said as he gently grabbed my tail in his cold hands. I could see him resting against the controls, almost limp.  
  
<If you do need to talk well…> I wasn’t quite used to playing the supportive wife but by the three stars, I was going to do it.  
  
“ _I will… By the way Aldrea?” Esplin was rolling around me, his dull voice coming from behind me._ _  
_ _  
_ _ < _ Yes?> I shuffled around until I could face him properly.  
  
“ _You are quite adorable.”_

I felt the blood rushing to my nose as he left, embarrassed by his praise.

* * *

  
  
<Why didn’t you come sooner?> My doctor scolded me as he flipped open a pad in front of me and held it out so I can scan my hand on it.  
  
My doctor was the very same one my father used to take me to when I was back on the homeworld. He so happened to also be a military doctor so he was pulled over to here after I moved here. I had a feeling that it had something to do with me but he didn’t say anything about it.  
  
I felt my face starting to burn with the blood rushing to it while I slipped my hand off of the pad. I still wasn’t sure if I could go through with it, knowing whether or not I was carrying Esplin’s offspring. The whole thing was weird for me, especially considering no more than a few months ago I hated the yeerk. How did things move so quickly?

<Alright, well… I believe that we’ll start with a frontal scan.> He continued on when I didn’t answer. That was fine with me.  
  
The doctor began scanning down my body with the same tablet he had checked me in with. There were a few moments of silence as he went over my chest but then moved back down, still scanning my body. I could see just past him at the screen he had set up in our scoop on my own personal table my body slowly loading onto the screen. I stayed silent while he got closer to my hindquarters waiting for that little monotone beep that’ll confirm that I was carrying. 

_Breet_

<Well it looks like you are carrying… though it is a singular zygote. Female and at about one week, two days with a pouching date of six weeks.> The doctor said, looking towards me with a neutral expression. I wasn’t expecting him to be at all happy about me carrying a yeerk’s offspring but at least he wasn’t showing his disgust.  
  
<Ah, that is good.> I politely replied as he puts away his tablet, still looking over at the screen with his main eyes. I noticed he still had his secondary eyes focused on me and something else.  
  
I turned my eyestalk, following the second one’s line of sight only to see that he was looking at my shredder that I had placed on the desk to work on later. My fur began to slowly bristle as I felt the questions already bubbling up in his mind. No one knew I had that and Esplin certainly didn’t tell anyone about it.  
  
But mercifully, he said nothing as he puts some notes into his tablet.  
  
<We’ll be putting you on nutritional supplements to prepare you for the second phase of your pregnancy. I also put in some notes about not traveling until the child is about six weeks of age.> The doctor says monotonously.  
  
<Very well. Anything else?> I asked as I heard my husband coming up to the scoop flap, just stopping outside of it.  
  
<I highly recommend contacting your parents. Your father says you haven’t spoken to him since the ceremony.>  
  
That was more than enough to drop my mood. My father was complaining to other people I wasn’t speaking with him? How very much _him_ .  
  
<I’ll have to see about that.> I replied starchly while walking past him. <Thank you and have a good night.>  
  
I then opened the flap of my scoop to him as he sprayed himself with the same spray that prevented our fur from being melted off by the acidic rain. Once he was done he just silently stepped past me and my husband, only pausing to speak with my mate before disappearing into the darkness of the yeerk night, making his way to the parked ship nearby.  
  
Esplin rolled up to me, acidic rain pouring down his sides. “ _So I was congratulated on becoming a father.”_

I felt myself smile a bit when I noticed him squirming at the controls, happy. That was more than enough to lift my sour mood, even just a bit.  
  
<Yes, it is a female.>

Esplin rolled past me and grabbed his towel off of his desk before drying himself off. Once he was done, he rolled back to me while I leaned down just enough to allow him to kiss me. A shiver ran down my spine while he pressed his freezing cold fingers against my cheeks. He then pulled my face down to his dome until my nose touched against it.  
  
“ _A daughter as strong as her mother. What more could I ask for really?”_ Esplin’s monotonous voice said, though I could have heard the happiness within it.  
  
<I was more or less expecting a son to be honest.> I replied, pulling away from him as I slowly laid down. I tucked my front hooves under my body while gazing at him with as much adoration as I could muster. He rolled as closely as possible to me before the top popped open just as the fluids inside drained to the storage tank below..  
  
It takes me a moment to realize that he wanted me to pick him up, so I do, making sure to press his cold, wet body against my cheek. He squirmed against my cheek before pressing himself firmly against me.  
  
<A daughter is fine Aldrea, it really is… Perhaps now we can go to your home world. _ > _Esplin excitedly told me. <I just have one more thing to complete at the lake and I will be allowed to leave.>

<About that… the doctor said no traveling until our offspring is six weeks old.> I sheepishly told him.  
  
<To the bottom pits with what the doctor says! We are going to your homeworld! I’m sure your family will be happy to see you anyway.>  
  
<Ah yes… parents..> I wasn’t enthusiastic about that. Just as the doctor had said, it had been literal months since I’ve last spoken to them. I’m not even sure if they remembered I was still out here. After all, they had my younger brother to worry about.  
  
Esplin, being the very perceptive yeerk he was, was quick to pick up on my tone. <You hadn’t been speaking with them?>  
  
<You don’t always speak with your family members right?> I quickly got defensive.  
  
<I at least keep in touch with my twin. No wonder you seem so lonely.>  
  
I nearly flinched at his pitying tone. I didn’t need his pity and I certainly didn’t need to keep in contact with my parents. They were the ones who gave me away to save their own reputation. I don’t need those kinds of people in my life. I _might_ speak with my brother though, when I feel it is right to. After all, he thought the idea was stupid as well.  
  
<Aldrea, you are being silent for far too long. Is everything okay?> Esplin was brushing against my cheek.  
  
<I believe I will get into contact with my younger brother at least. I’m sure he’s started the academy so he is living away from my parents.> I said, brushing back against him. 

<Good…> I could hear the relief in his thoughts.  
  
<Contact him tonight then, I expect at least a full report tomorrow.> He brushed against me and I sighed, but smiled. 

<Tomorrow we are spending some time together then.> I joyfully said. 

<Of course since we are flying to the lake tomorrow.> He seemed to laugh at this.  
  
<Really?> I couldn’t help but feel a jolt of surprise at this.  
  
<It’s merely an address to my people over the events that have been happening lately.> Esplin said.  
  
<Something happened again?> I was a bit shocked. 

<... Yes three pools were boiled and everyone within them were killed. We believe it was done by the same ones who tried to boil us alive…>  
  
<We have terrorists on the planet…> I said darkly, unconsciously curling my tail over my lower body. If things keep up like this, there might be a full blown civil war on this planet.  
  
<That is another reason why I want to leave. I can’t raise our child in this environment. As much as I hate to say it, but it really is getting dangerous.> I felt like he was reading my mind in that moment but I knew he wasn’t, he was just having the same thoughts I was.  
  
<Alright, then let’s leave as soon as we can.> I sighed, turning a stalk towards our scoop flap.  
  
<Good, I’m glad you finally agree.> He then went silent after that.  
  
I soon slipped him back into his body at his request and the dome filled back up while I got to my feet, glancing at my own personal room. With a quiet good-night, I slipped into my room quickly, determined to at least find my brother’s number. It didn’t take me long to find it using my homeworld social account but it was linked to the dorm rooms of a college instead of the academy. Now that wasn’t something I was expecting. Maybe he was going to college first? That certainly sounded like him.  
  
I was soon patched through to a private chat room after sending a request to speak, which, once again, surprised me. He was up that late? I nearly hit myself with my own tail as I remembered that it was day time over on the home world, not night.  
  
<Aldrea? Is that really you?> My brother’s neutral, less boyish-than-I-remembered, face popped up on the screen. I noticed that his eyes had turned from a deeper yellow to a light blue and… he dyed his fur purple? Now that wasn’t what I was expecting.  
  
<Barafin… you have changed quite a bit.> I couldn’t even say hello, I was so shocked by his change in appearance.  
  
He blinked a few times before the realization crossed his face. He quickly backed away until I could get a good glimpse at his whole body as he turned around and turned something off before waving another andalite off who had been in the background this whole time. Once he was done, he moved back to the screen.  
  
<Y-Yeah… I sort of… went a bit wild after I got free from my parents you know… You know how they were with being proper and the such…> He was flattening the fur on his chest as he gave me a sheepish smile. <But either way, how have you been? Is that yeerk still around?>  
  
<I am doing quite well Barafin. He and I are still together if that is what you are asking. But we are closer as well, as amazing as that sounds.> I replied as I noticed that the andalite was back and he was peeling something. Was that… charasval bark?  
  
The bright blue bark that causes hallucinations when consumed and that was seriously illegal. It couldn’t be THAT bark right?

<Oh, I thought you would have killed him by now.> My brother said, clearly not aware of what was going on behind him. I hope that he wasn’t aware.  
  
<No, in fact we are having a child.> I was desperately trying to ignore his roommate as he crushed the bark. <Esplin had managed to gain the morphing technology and an andalite form. So it’s our own biological child.>  
  
<Oh great, I’m an uncle in college, thank you so much older sister.> He said, shaking a stalk at me as he sighed through his nose. <And yeerks are morphing too… fantastic.>  
  
<At least you are not a grandparent at 50.> I said with a small grin, ignoring that last comment.  
  
<That is true.> He smiled back at me, secondary eyes curled into a silent laugh.  
  
<So um… who’s that?> I said, motioning towards behind him. He did a little jump before waving at the male behind him looking like he was yelling at him. The male ducked before quickly slipping out of sight.  
  
Once my brother had returned back to the camera, he smiled slightly. <One of my mates.>  
  
<Mates… as in multiple?> I was surprised my brother was that kind of male.  
  
He nodded his talk. <I have one male mate and two female. I am the harem leader as it were.>  
  
He was grinning and I wanted to end the call right then and there. But I wasn’t considering I wasn’t any better than him. After all, I had mated with an alien while he was morphed one of our own. I was just about as devious as he was. But at least what I was doing wasn’t illegal.  
  
<Don’t get caught having multiple mates Barafin.> I warned him, narrowing my eyes at him. <They might remove you from the genetic pool.>

<Oh don’t worry, we are careful.> He said, grinning nervously. <But uh… yeah…>  
  
<What about the purple fur? That certainly wasn’t something I was expecting.>  
  
<I’m a cloud artist Aldrea, it’s cloud paint stains. I accidently liquified a dyed purple cloud while I was messing around.> He sheepishly smiled again.  
  
My brother was always the artistic type, drawing in the dirt and playing with a prototype cloud glove. But I hadn’t realized it was a profession he wanted to get into. Then again, I wasn’t exactly paying attention to him throughout my adolescent years.  
  
<Oh good, I thought you were going female for a moment there.> I teasingly said.  
  
<I’m a female every third day.> He grinned back, making me blush a bit in response.  
  
I knew what he was saying but still… I wasn’t expecting him to speak so boldly to his older sister. It was kind of… nice having this sort of conversation. I was happy to be reconnecting with my brother again after so long apart. Like pulling my head out of a sludge pool and washing off in a clean boiling bath. I wondered if I was wrong to wait so long to contact my brother?  
  
We spent an hour talking to each other before finally he had to leave for classes. I promised to call back in a day or two then the screen shuts off. As I get ready for bed, I realized that he hadn’t asked about the terrorist activity on the yeerk homeworld. I wondered if that news had reached the home world yet or not. Perhaps they were just waiting for a comprehensive report, who knew?  
  
I bedded down and curled up into a ball, resting my upper body on my tail before closing my eyes. Just as I drifted off, I thought I could hear hoofsteps somewhere outside. I lifted my head and they stopped, making me think I was just hearing things. So I laid down again and actually went to sleep this time.

* * *

 

I stood on the edge of the lake for the first time in months, gazing over the dull gray waters while listening to the conversations between my husband and the other yeerks.  
  
“ _So how many days must I stay in the pool?”_ The one called Illim 363 said, giving me the impression he was whining.  
  
“ _Five days Illim, how many times must I tell you?”_ Another called Indriss 554 answered, clearly getting tired of being asked the same question. They were rolled up against the surf with their back to the other.  
  
“ _And why are you coming?”_ Illim was rolling up to the surf as well. 

“ _Because I need to help Iniss and the Visser finish their speeches before tomorrow.”_  I could see the yeerk thrashing in their dome, stirring up bubbles as they did. 

“ _But you’re so bad at speeches! I should be the one staying top side and you should be the one holding down the office space down below!”_ Illim clearly whined.  
  
I turned a stalk around towards Esplin, noticing that he was floating a bit above the controls. I curled my eyes in amusement as I realized he had disconnected so he wouldn’t hear their squabbling. That would explain why he hadn’t snapped at this at this point. 

Smiling, I went into our scoop just as I saw a flash of lighting before the downpour started. I stared out of the scoop at the trio. Illim had left into the pool and Esplin was reconnecting to his robot. I watched as he rolled up to our scoop and entered, heading for the towel rack I set up just for him.  
  
“ _Did I miss anything?”_ He asked as he wiped off his dome of the acidic precipitation. 

<Besides arguing? Not much.> I was closing the front flap of the scoop, watching as Indriss slipped into the pool before my view was cut off. I smiled to myself before slipping in beside him, placing my hands lightly at the sides of his dome trying to kiss him in a similar manner to an andalite.  
  
He did the same, but I trembled under his cold hands. Thank the stars that he didn’t really have feeling in those. I didn’t want to embarrass him by making it seem like I didn’t like being touched by him.  
  
<Doing anything else today?> I asked, tipping a stalk at him.  
  
" _No, not until tomorrow afternoon."_ I noticed the front of his face was mostly pressed against the glass, almost like he really wanted me to touch him. Lucky for him today, I did too actually.  
  
<How about we enjoy some alone time then? It’s been quite a while hasn’t it?> I said, switching to a more suggestive voice. I leaned up against him and watched him squirm against the controls. 

“ _It has been quite a while hasn’t it? Perhaps you would like me to morph as well?”_ He asked me.  
  
<Of course, we might as well before I start pouching.> I said as I pulled away, getting to my hooves. 

It looked like he didn’t need any more encouragement beyond those words. The top popped off and he hopped out onto the floor, already growing in size and changing in color. It took him a good fifteen minutes but soon he was an andalite again.  
  
I didn’t hesitate as I walked to him, kissing his cheeks as our noses mashed together, eyes curling into a smile. I was soon leading him to my own private corner of the scoop, coaxing him into mounting me.  
  
Once he was on my back, he kissed me from behind as he asked, <Ready?>  
  
I curled my eyes into a coy smile while bumping up against his haunches. <Of course.>

* * *

I heard a loud crash outside while I slept and I was up within moments, pushing myself to my hooves. Something was flickering outside of our scoop, clearly on fire. I could just make out the shape of a ship’s wing in the shadows and considering how dark it was, it was night time still. I could hear the whirring sounds of mechanical wheels turning and the thud of many hooves running by the scoop.  
  
A quick look around told me that Esplin was not here and I could see a trail of where his wheels had left indents in the ground when he left my part of the scoop. I sucked in a breath as flashes of light lit up the scoop’s cloth above me and the occasional boom of something being clearly hit by laser fire.  
  
I flinched as I got to my hooves and put a hand to my head, pulling it away to see blood. I glanced down and saw the training ball gift Esplin had given me on the ground with my blood on it. That was probably why I hadn’t woken sooner.  
  
My legs shook as I quickly ran to where I had stored away my repaired shredder and flung open the box before pulling it out. I hooked up a vial of plasma to the bottom before clicking it in place and slowly started to slip out of my room as I fired up my shredder.  
  
_Crunch_

I froze when I noticed the shape of an andalite moving through our scoop, only stopping once they had noticed me. My eyes widened as they lifted up their shredder before it started to power up.

I felt cold seep into my bones as I realized that they were going to fire on me. Quickly I fumbled with my own, already powered up weapon and aimed it back at them.  
  
<Who are you?> I called, lifting my tail up as I took steps towards the. <What is going on?>  
  
They didn’t answer me but I flinched as they fired a shot, making a clean hole right next to my left hoof. I was quick to stop after that warning shot, wondering if that was just a warning shot. They, instead, began moving towards me and I lifted my weapon. But who stepped out of the darkness surprised me.  
  
<Cronis!> I cried with relief as my weapon fell to my side. <Thank goodness!>  
  
The silver eyed male narrowed his eyes at me, confusion clear within them. <Why do you know me?>  
  
<You should know me. We have been speaking for quite awhile!> I tipped a stalk at them, confused.  
  
<I do not speak with pro-yeerk filth.> He snapped as he raised his weapon again, aiming it directly at my head taking bolder steps forward. 

My head swam with confusion as the sounds of fire became louder and louder above. I could feel my back legs shaking while I lifted my own weapon right before he was within tail striking distance. It was like electricity was making my fur rise while we stood our ground. 

He didn’t remember me? Pro-yeerk filth? Why was he attacking me? Weren’t we at least acquaintances?  
  
Question after question flew through my adrenaline filled mind while I kept my main eyes on his, one stalk on his tail, and another on my only exit.  
  
<Back off! I _will_ kill you.> I snapped as he stepped within his own tail strike range. I tried to take a step back but I found myself backing against one of the walls.  
  
<I don’t want to hurt a female but if you do not come quietly, then I will be forced to bring you down now. My superiors have told me to capture you alive but that could change to me accidently killing you.> His face twisted into a disgusted sneer while he lifted his tail high.  
  
I heard a loud screeching sound above us and before I could react, a beam of light cuts through the scoop. I watched in sheer horror as the male’s tail was disintegrated… along with his rear legs and haunch. A scream of agony rips through my head as he collapsed onto the ground, no longer having any back legs to stand on. I took this opportunity to jump over him and run, leaving him there to scream at me while I fled outside, shouldering my way through the flaps of the scoop.  
  
I came to a complete, dead stop as I took in the scene around me. 

It was pure chaos! 

Yeerks littered the shore, dead and alive while both andalites and robotic hosted yeerks along with gedds run across the shores and shallow waters. Above me ships roared and screeched while firing on each other. Andalite ships attacking andalite ships and yeerk ships. I flinched as a ship came crashing down into the lake, sending a massive wave of slup niar and yeerks onto the shore.  
  
In the distance several ships were landing and andalites were pouring out. On the right side of me was a group of yeerks, clearly fighting a pair of andalite warriors using their dracon beams. I looked away as they were cut down by the dracon fire, crumbling into a pile of dust before the robot-hosted yeerks.  
  
<MOVE!> I was shouldered out of the way as a pair of warriors galloped past me, running towards where a line of andalites was fighting other andalites. The sight was horrifying and I found myself unable to look away as andalite fought andalite. Tails cutting through the air as hooves sliced at legs while males bucked back.  
  
The strong scent of blood, sweat, boiled slup niar, and burning ships burned my nose. I was still trying to process what was going on, trying to figure out why this was happening.  
  
Suddenly it hit me. 

Where was my Esplin?  
  
My stalks twisted each way while I shifted from side to side, trying to find my husband in the midst of this bloody scene. But I couldn’t see his robot nor his andalite form either. I shivered slightly in fear, stepping away from the tent in the attempt to find my lover. He couldn’t be dead right?  
  
TSEEEWW

A stray beam of dracon fire bolted past me and fried the door behind me where the crippled male still was, screaming for help or someone to kill him.  
  
I stepped back slowly as an andalite at the shore turned towards me, his weapon drawn, and started to slowly walking towards me. Behind him, a pair of gedd-controllers raised their own weapons, sneers crossing their faces. I felt my hearts dropped as I realized what I had woken to.

This was a full on battle and I was in the middle of it.


	14. Chapter 14

Ships screamed above me as the group approached me further. I could feel my legs stiffen as my eyestalks whipped from side to side, looking for a way to run without running into one of the many battling groups around me.

My eyes finally settled to my right and I darted, stretching out my body long while my arms pushed back just enough to allow me to pick up more speed while still being able to use my weapon if needed. I hopped over the wreckage of an andalite fighter wing and dodged around a fallen yeerk robot until I was sprinting across the shore of the slup niar lake.  
  
Behind me the andalite who had been approaching me before was sprinting after me. I flinched as a stray dracon fire burned across my path, making me turn towards the slup niar. Not even thinking for a moment on it, I dived into the slup niar then went under. At least then they could see me, right?

Well I wasn’t exactly counting on the _hundreds_ of yeerks brushing against me, bumping up against all parts of my body. I had to yank one away from my ear because it had gotten too close. But it wasn’t long until I came back up out of the sludge, gasping for air and struggling to get to the ship wreckage farther in.  
  
<There she is!> 

I heard the sound of a few shots being blasted my way and once again, I dived under just as another shot fired past me. The slup niar sizzled and hissed from the shot burning through it.  
  
For a moment I contemplated morphing into a yeerk but then the thought of being caught in such a helpless morph in this battle made it such a horrible idea. Even morphing a kafit would be death for me! No I needed to get to that burning ship, take cover, and hopefully take a moment to figure out a plan to find Esplin and get out of here.  
  
I broke to the surface, pulling out yet another yeerk from my ear. I sucked some deep breaths in then dived under, pushing further until my back hit sharp metal. Bubbles bursted around me as I released my breath, feeling my skin cut from the sharpness of the metal brushed against. I broke the surface again, gasping before wildly looking around with my stalks. I could see the slumped over forms of andalites above me and the broken remains of what was left of the ship, blood oozing from my back.

I turned all four of my eyes downwards towards the turning pool of yeerks. There were a few dead floating around me but that was the least of my worries. I could still hear the battle raging just outside of this protective metal sheet.  
  
During this moment I took to formulate a plan, I also started to piece together what I had seen so far. Andalites fighting andalites. Yeerks fighting yeerks. The andalite whom I thought was Cronis turning out to be for whatever side wanted me dead.  
  
Everything was a mixed up mess in my head but I was finally starting to understand. This was a civil war wasn’t it?

But why were they all attacking the same area at once? Why now?

I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that andalites would be attacking other andalites. Why would they be doing that? What happened to cause my people to turn on one another.  
  
The last andalite civil war took place a thousand years ago when we still were exploring the universe. Even then it only lasted a year and it was on a small island that was populated by what was left of the northern andalites then. The war was fought for the land itself, not for the people. But what was the reason why they were fighting now?

I could really only think of two things. The peace treaty with the yeerks that a lot of andalites took offense to or they were all controllers. I was more or less willing to believe they were fighting over the peace treaty. Someone would have noticed if andalites were infested right? There was no way a yeerk could feed with an unwilling andalite host. That would be a death sentence for them!

But yeerks were also fighting against other yeerks as well though...

What was going on here?!

_BOOM_

I flinched as the shock wave of another ship crashing into the lake sent a wave surging through the ship I was currently hiding in. I could feel bodies of yeerks, both dead and alive, crashing against me while I dug my hooves in to keep from being pinned against the wall.  
  
I clutched my weapon to my chest before slowly slouging forward through the sludge. I dived under for a moment and popped out of the other side, glancing around with my stalks as I did. I knew I needed to find at least one ally on this battlefield.  
  
I made my way back to shore and jumped onto land before quickly running off away from the lake itself. I could see to my right a group of gedds stomping past a group of motionless yeerks and andalites. To my left was docking ship where andalite after andalite was hopping out of it. I flinched as someone pushed past me, heading towards the ship at full speed. But a pair of gedds decided to step in my way.  
  
I tail slashed a gedd on my way just as they rose their weapon against me. They let out a startled yell as their hand dropped to the floor and started to spray blood across the ground. His ally wasn’t so lucky as my tail clipped his neck and he was almost decapitated.  
  
He dropped to the ground with a light thunk. 

My head swam with the heavy scent of gedd blood and my legs were positively soaked from the spray of the first one.But i had to push forward I couldn’t stop for a single moment. So I ran on towards the ship where I could see the andalites starting to disperse. 

<ALDREA STOP!> 

Out of pure shock, I stumbled over my own hooves and fell with a loud huff. I dirt and rocks buried themselves into my knees as I came to a skidding stop on them. My eyestalks wildly searched about me while I used my back legs to push up onto my hooves. 

Finally my eyes settled onto a familiar andalite came running towards me. Streaks of blue were splattered across his pelt and he had this wild look in his silver eyes. He grabbed my arm as he ran by and we started to run together.  
  
<Thank goodness you’re alive!> Esplin said with relief as he ran with me, away from the ship. <After that orb fell on you head I just…>  
  
<What happened?> I asked, throwing glances at the ship as we ran.  
  
<They came too quickly for me to at least try to hide you… I couldn’t just drag you away… I…> It seemed like he was in shock. The look of horror that was frozen on his face made me shiver. 

<Esplin, it’s okay. I’m here… but please focus. What happened?> I was trying to direct him back to speaking with me. <Where did all of that blood come from?>  
  
<It is not mine, don’t worry. I demorphed and morphed after I had gotten injured the first time.>  
  
My hearts skipped a beat at the thought of him just morphing into a weak yeerk right in the middle of the battle field. A form so easily crushed underhoof. That thought, strangely enough, made me focus on something else.  
  
<That is very dangerous.> I huffed as we both jumped into some thick branched bushes. He curled his tail over mine for a moment before whisking it away. I felt myself frown further at the smile he was giving me.  
  
<I’d rather not die yet.> He then glanced about as if he was looking for something.  
  
<So what happened?> I was going to take this moment to actually speak with him about what was happening.  
  
<I wish I knew that myself. I was outside when the first ships came flying in and then were blasted to pieces by another group of ships that were flying behind them. That was when more and more came. I believe they were in space before but…> Esplin trailed off while he continued to search about us.  
  
<But?>  
  
<Why did they come down to the busiest pool possible?> Esplin turned a stalk on me.  
  
<Maybe they were coming here to attack it.> I offered while I checked my weapon over, making sure it wasn’t damaged after being in the slup niar for so long.  
  
<That would make sense considering we always keep a fleet of ships just a mile from the pool. There is also a no flying policy over this pool…> Esplin’s face relaxed but I could still see the tension in his tail. But then he shook a stalk before straightening up, determination lighting his eyes up. <We need to find some allies and get you as far away from here as possible as well. It is no longer safe for either of us.>  
  
<Why must I go?> I asked turning a stalk around myself while keeping my primary eyes focused on him.  
  
<It’s not just your life that is at stake Aldrea. There is nothing I would love more than you have you fight with me. But…> He was looking towards my lower body with a stalk. But I clearly understood what he was saying. Perhaps it would be far more tactful for me to flee instead of fighting.  
  
<I understand Esplin.>  
  
I lowered my weapon back to my side then waited. On his signal we both ran from our hiding spot and broke into a full gallop. I could see a pair of andalites turning towards us and then they broke into a sprint, running towards us at full speed. Esplin grabbed my tail in his and we both turned away from the lake.  
  
I swung a stalk around just in time to see that these andalites were raising their weapons to us. Above us ships were starting to land while more were being added to the numbers around us. New warm bodies for the battle that continued to rage around us.  
  
<Aldrea, I’m sorry to do this but… We need to go out into the desert and go to the lefessur forest. I do not know who is ally and who is our enemy in this fight. Once things calm down then we can perhaps contact someone.> Esplin was starting to pant with the effort of running so far.  
  
<I agree.> I dipped my stalks towards him before cutting to my right with him. After that exchange with Cronis, I knew I couldn’t trust other andalites either. This felt like a free for all now.  
  
With a final burst of speed, we both left those two andalites behind and ran out hard into the desert. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aldrea didn't get to fight much in this part but there is a lot more to come!


	15. Chapter 15

Lessifur forest was a dry, ashy, bush filled forest. The trees were a deep black from a fire that had burned many years ago and the scent of sulfur was heavy in the air. This place had long been dead due to some massive volcanic activity in the area. As far as I knew, it was a dead volcanic forest that surrounded a small population of yeerk pools to the north of us.    
  
<I think we are going to be safe.> Esplin had stopped by a tree, leaning up against it as he panted.

<For how long though? They were hunting me down before you found me.> I plopped onto my haunches, sucking in a breath as I do. I was at least glad we got out of there before he got shot or I did. <We need to find a pool and hide you.>   
  
<What why? I-> The realization dawned on his face and he quickly nodded his stalks. He couldn’t stay in morph forever and we both knew this. I was just suggesting we find a pool and have him demorph before he gets stuck. <I understand... I have an hour left at most.>   
  
I curled my tail over his slightly and then dipped my stalks. But just as I started to move I could hear the roar of an engine overhead and we both froze as two andalian skimmers flew straight over us, heading towards the lake. I glanced over at Esplin and he glanced back at me before motioning with a stalk for us to move along.    
  
Soon enough we both were running through the dry forest path, kicking up long burned ashes as we went along. Both of us kept silent as I listened almost hypnotically to the sound of our hooves thrumming against the harden dirt. It didn’t take us long to make it to the extremely small pool at the center of this forest in a clearing that clearly looked like it hadn’t been visited by any andalite in years.    
  
Several gedds hanging around the slup niar jumped to their feet and shakily held up their weapons as we approached. Esplin moved in front of me and made an odd motion with a hand.    
  
<Do not worry. I am Visser One, I am simply here to demorph and use the pool.>

That was when the gedds started chattering in their own odd language which made us both double take. That was when we realized that these were unhosted gedds which also meant their yeerks weren’t currently home right now. They were probably tasked with just guarding the pool, which they were doing a good job of already.    
  
<Unhosteds… Just don’t do anything that’ll make them stab us.>   
  
Esplin then just stepped by them as he shook out his lower body. Being a good couple of feet taller than them made it that easy to step over the hunched over creatures below. He kept a stalk on them as he stepped into the pool. Surprisingly enough, they just stood there like they didn’t know what to do now.    
  
I stood by as Esplin demorphed and disappeared under the gray sludge of the pool. I silently stared at the gedds with my stalk eyes. They did look somewhat intelligent but then again, looking into their eyes, they didn’t seem all there. Like they were missing something… maybe that’s why the yeerks have such a deeply entwined symbiotic relationship with these creatures. They are the other half of them. At least mentally.   
  
Soon enough I noticed a group of yeerks coming to the surface and the gedds moved away from me, one of them still looking at me. I watched in silence as they scooped up their yeerks into their large, clumsy hands before sliding each into their respective ear. That was when I noticed their eyes became more focused as the yeerks gained control and they all turned to me.    
  
“There was an attack on the main pool?” One of the sharper looking of the three gedd-controllers asked me in galard. This language change surprised me but I dipped my stalks at them. Perhaps they took the time to learn it themselves. That was rather admirable.    
  
<Yes we->   
  
“Knew the andalites would be trrrouble.” One of the larger gedds snapped, cutting me off completely as he slammed his stick hard into the ground causing it to crack loudly. I was pretty quick to step back at this. “Now therre is a battle at the main pool! We arrre going to lose so many yeerrrks because of those fools!”   
  
“Shut up Crrragerrr! It’s all because of you empirrre yeerrrks!” The largest one bashed the one I assumed to be Crager over the head with his stick. “If it wasn’t forrr you fools we wouldn’t be in this mess in the firrrst place! We would be having peaceful rrrelations with the andalites. But no, you fools couldn’t wait! You needed to have everrrything  _ now _ .”

Crager backed away, rubbing his head and shooting what I assumed to be a glare at the other controller. But he said nothing else. I wondered if I had witnessed a fight that happened very, very often. Judging by Crager’s acceptance, I would have to guess so.   
  
<Where is Esplin?> I asked, realizing my husband hadn’t come up in nearly fifteen minutes now.    
  
“Visserrr One? They arrre with the sub-visserrrs discussing plans.” The one who had whacked Crager answered, resting his lopped side on his stick. 

<Plans?> I perked my stalks at this.    
  
“We arrre the only yeerrrks in quite a few kilometerrrs each dirrrection. We have no communication centerrrs eitherrr.” He then motioned to himself. “I am Edrrriss 554.”   
  
<Very nice to me you I’m->   
  
“Aldrrea-Iskillion-Falan, we alrrready know. How about you rest somewhere until we figurrre out what do to with you? Keep out of sight as well, yourrr furrr is incredibly obvious.” He swept his stick around himself and his people waddled off towards the dead brush.

I crossed my arms over my chest as I flicked a stalk back over my shoulder to look behind myself. I then slowly backed away from the pool before slowly walking to the edge of the woods and slipping under the trees.    
  
This is where I waited until I noticed Esplin walking towards me in his andalite form. We touched tails gently before he pressed his hands into my cheeks, eyes curling into a smile.    
  
<We’ll be staying here until we can get into contact with your people.> Esplin said, though the weariness in his voice alarmed me.    
  
<Are you alright?> I asked softly.    
  
<I morphed too many times in one day… Forgive me…> He leaned against me, touching his nose to my ear before rubbing me cheek to cheek. The fur along my spine rose as shivers ran down it. His familiar scent washed over me and I found myself leaning against him. Now that we were no longer in battle or running, weariness was starting to pull at my limbs.

<Return to the pool and demorph. I’ll be fine.> I pulled away, sighing at him.   
  
<But what if->  
  
<I know how to defend myself. Now go.> I then pointedly turned my back on him. His hands suddenly slipped over my side, making me jump a bit.   
  
I could see it in his eyes. He was truly worried for me and something about his gaze made me sway on his hooves. Normally I would be pushing away from him and barking at him to return to the pool but something made me just sink into his arm, nuzzling against his fur while I wrapped my arms around him. He was just afraid and he wanted comfort.  
  
<This isn’t a war Esplin, I know it isn’t.> I quietly said as I petted his ear with my finger tenderly. I wanted so dearly for that to be true. To do all of this and then just… have it all fall apart. It was scary for me. I wasn’t prepared for any of this.  
  
<...> Esplin’s eyes narrowed silently as his fingers threaded slowly through my fur. I could already hear his silent objection. He already knew what I feared, I could just tell. How long has he known this was going to happen? How much has he been hiding from me?  
  
I could feel his breath stir my ear fur before he rested his chin against my shoulder, pressing his ear against my own. This gesture made me freeze up for a moment as he continued to rub his ear against mine slowly. I had to wonder for a moment what was going through his head as he did this. What was he thinking?  
  
<I will protect you and our unborn grub the best I can.> He pulled away slowly, his hands finding their way to my cheeks.  
  
I couldn't help but laugh when he called our child a 'grub'. It was almost endearing in a sort of weirdly sweet way. Sort of like a pet name he had given to our offspring even though he didn't know it yet. It made me wonder if yeerks did have some sort of parenting instinct or if this was something he just taught himself. It didn't seem natural for a yeerk to have such a strong need to protect their prodigy. After all, yeerks die after reproduction.  
  
“Visserrr One you arrre needed in the pool. The sub-vissers wish to speak with you if you have the time.”   
  
The two of us quickly moved apart as a gedd came tromping up. He didn’t look at all sorry that he had broken up our moment together. He even looked a bit pleased with himself even. That’s when I noticed it was the yeerk Crager. For a moment my fur stood up around my haunches as I forced myself to remain as even faced as possible. How could he interrupt us like that?  
  
<I guess you’ll get your wish then Aldrea.> Esplin sighed softly, pulling away and walking to the Gedd’s side. He looked like he really didn't want to leave me. But when he's needed, he's needed. <Let’s go then.>  
  
I noticed the controller flashing me what I assumed to be a smirk before the two of them made their way back to the pool. Silently I just took a place under a patch of tightly woven branches and laid down. I curled up into a tight ball as the sounds of thunder rumbled in the distance.   
  
This was probably the second worst day of my life.


End file.
